Learning Outcomes

After going through this lesson, you are expected to:

• to enumerate the lines of evidence that support the plate movement (S9ES
–Ia-j-36.6).
Specifically, you will learn to:
• investigate the pieces of evidence of the Continental Drift Theory;
• demonstrate the evolution of the oceanic crust through Sea Floor
Spreading; and realize the importance of the seafloor spreading process
relative to the Continental Drift Theory
 Convection Cells within the Asthenosphere
Convection cells operating in the asthenosphere result in the creation of the forces of compression
and tension within the rigid overlying lithosphere.
Note that in the case of multiple convection cells, the location of the zones of tension and
compression alternate.

How would the rigid lithosphere be expected to react to these compressive and tensional forces?
This understanding was the key to the development of the plate tectonic theory.

Explore the effects of lithospheric

compression and tension due to
convection cells

TENSION

COMPRESSION
Continental Drift Theory
• When the tectonic plates under the continents and
oceans move, they carry the continents and oceans with
them.
•

• In the early 1900s a German explorer and scientist

proposed the continental drift theory. He proposed that
there was once a ingle “supercontinent” called
Pangaea.
Continental Drift
Alfred Wegener (1912)
• German Meteorologist

• Continents moved slowly to their current

locations.
• Pangaea- the single landmass of Earth
that broke apart about 200mya . “All
Land”
 Evidence
 Puzzle-like Fit
• Coastlines of continents fit
together like puzzle pieces.

• Examples:
S.America & Africa
• Wegner’s theory was that about 180 million years ago, Pangaea
began to break up into separate continents. To back this theory up, he
perserved remains and evidence from ancient animals and plants
from South America, Africa, India, and Australia that were almost
identical.
 Fossil Clues
• Certain fossils of ancient animals & plants are found
on distant landmasses.
 Freshwater/land-dwelling reptile Mesosaurus fossils
have been found on South America & Africa.
 Fossils of the ancient plant Glossopteris were
found in Africa, South America, Australia, India,
& Antarctica.
 Climate Clues
-Fossils of warm climate plants were found in present-day cold
climates. (Coal)
-Rocks deposited by glaciers from the ice ages have been found in
present-day warm climates.
 Rock Clues
• Similar rock structures are found on different continents
separated by oceans.
-Appalachian mountains of the USA are similar to
mountains found in Greenland & western Europe
-Rocks of South America match those in Africa
Main objection to Wegener’s hypothesis
was its inability to provide a mechanism
for the movement of the continents.
 Seafloor Spreading
 Hypothesis
• Radio waves were used to map the ocean floor.
• Mid-ocean Ridges- underwater mountain ranges
Sea floor spreading
• Less dense magma flows sideways dragging the seafloor
along.
• As the seafloor spread apart, magma flows up through cracks
in at the ridge forming new rock.
Rift Valley Midocean Ridge
Evidence
• Drilling
• Ocean floor rock samples show that the age of the
rock gets older the further the rock is from the
mid-ocean ridge
 Magnetism
• Changes in the magnetic alignment of the Earth are
found in alternating bands in the seafloor rock.
 • Theory
• Combined theory of Continental Drift
Theory of Plate & Seafloor Spreading.
• Earth’s crust & upper mantle
Tectonics (lithosphere) are broken into plates and
move around on a plastic-like layer of
the mantle (asthenosphere.)
 Wrap-Up
Add your own words to complete the following:

Now, I know that

The part of the lesson that I like the most

I wonder
 Quote for the Day
Sometimes, our lives have to be
completely shaken up, changed,
and rearranged to relocate us to
the place we’re meant to be.
-Anonymous