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(Earth Science)

Theory of Plate Tectonics is build upon two hypothesis 1) Continental Drift and 2) Sea Floor Spreading. Name and describe 3 pieces of evidence in detail that support Continental Drift hypothesis. Why did this hypothesis ultimately get replaced by the hypothesis of sea floor spreading? (hint: what could Continental Drift NOT account for?)

User Brucemax
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Answer:

Plate Tectonic theory

Step-by-step explanation:

Plate tectonics is based on continental drift, and seafloor spreading the three pieces of evidence that support this are those given by Alfred Wagner

As the Jigsaw fit between continents that were one at some point in time.

As the polar wandering or the flight to poles i.e how continents are drifted way to poles by forces of wind.

Presence of the same flora and fauna and glacial valley formation that were once a part of the same continent of Pangea and Gondwana.

The hypothesis ultimately got replaced by seafloor spreading as the drawbacks of drift theory which would not give sufficient evidence for the spreading away of continents. Earth's tectonic forces and internal sources of energy i.e heat produced by radioactive decay was not emphasized and Alfred's continuous orogeny could not have been possible.

User Darren Gilroy
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