Question

Around 40 Ma, ongoing plate motion widened the gap between South America and

Antarctica.
Which of the following events was not associated with that change?
a) The Antarctic Circumpolar Current formed
b) The Drake Passage closed
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c) the southern ocean became isolated from the warmer waters of the Pacific,
Atlantic, and Indian Oceans
d) Glaciers started to form on Antarctica

Answer 1

The Drake Passage closing was not associated with the change in the gap between South America and Antarctica around 40 Ma.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct option that was not associated with the change in widening the gap between South America and Antarctica around 40 Ma is b) The Drake Passage closed. The Drake Passage is the body of water between Cape Horn on the South American mainland and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It is a key pathway for the movement of cold Antarctic Circumpolar Current waters, and its closure would not be associated with the widening of the gap between South America and Antarctica. This change, however, led to the formation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, c) The southern ocean becoming isolated from the warmer waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, and d) the formation of glaciers on Antarctica.

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