Question

Which of the three things provide evidence that South America, Africa, Antarctica, and Australia were once together as one supercontinent? Select the three correct answers. Glacial deposits and scratches in the bedrock from an ice sheet match in distant regions. Icy glaciers covered South America, Africa, Antarctica, and Australia as one supercontinent over the North Pole. Mountain chains match up where South America collided with Australia to form Pangaea. Fossils of marsupials were originally the same across South America and Australia. Vast deposits of coal formed in regions with ancient deserts. Cratons match across the edges of continents.

Answer 1

Options (1), (4) and (6)

Step-by-step explanation:

The continents namely South America, Africa, Antarctica, and Australia were together earlier forming a supercontinent. It has been proved by providing various evidence. Some of the pieces of evidence are as follows-

1) The edges of these continents perfectly fit with one another, suggesting that they were joined together in the past.

2) The presence of marsupial fossils in all these continents also made a significant contribution to this. Marsupials are the high order mammals that once existed in these continents and have undergone evolution and are still present today as kangaroos, wallabies and many more.

3) The glacial deposits that are formed by the scratching of bedrocks are also found in many of these continents and all show similar characteristics suggesting that they were once combined together.

Thus, the correct answers are options (1), (4) and (6).

Answer 2

- Glacial deposits and scratches in the bedrock from an ice sheet match in distant regions

- Fossils of marsupials were originally the same across South America and Australia

- Cratons match across the edges of continents

Step-by-step explanation:

South America, Africa, Antarctica, and Australia were all once part of one super-continent. This super-continent has been named Gondwanaland. As the geological processes got more intensive though and Gondwanaland separated into smaller land masses, continents, which we now know as the continents on the Southern Hemisphere. There are numerous clues that confirm that these continents were once connected. Some of the clues are the matching cratons on the edges of the continents, the glacial deposits and scratches in the bedrock are also matching, lot of fossilized flora and fauna from the same species have been found in several of these continents, the marsupials in South America and Australia etc.