Final answer:
The position of North America relative to the equator has changed over the last 200 million years due to plate tectonics, moving from the tropical zone closer to the equator to the middle latitudes today.
Step-by-step explanation:
The position of North America relative to the equator has changed over the last 200 million years due to the movement of tectonic plates. Around 200 million years ago, during the time of Pangea, North America was located closer to the equator, in the tropical zone. As the tectonic plates shifted and separated, North America drifted northward, moving away from the equator.
Over millions of years, through the process of plate tectonics, North America continued to move northwards, experiencing various geological events such as the opening of the Atlantic Ocean and the formation of the Rocky Mountains. Today, North America is located in the middle latitudes, far from the equator.
This gradual movement of North America away from the equator has affected its climate and ecosystems. It has led to the formation of different climatic zones and the adaptation of flora and fauna to these changing environments.
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