Question

List at least three examples of evidence that Alfred Wegner used as support for his hypothesis of continental shift. Why was his idea, at least in part, rejected by many geologists at the time?

Answer 1

Alfred Wegener used several lines of evidence to support his hypothesis of continental drift, including the fit of the continents, matching fossils, and matching mountain ranges. His idea was rejected by many geologists because he did not have a well-developed hypothesis to explain the mechanism behind continental drift.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alfred Wegener used several lines of evidence to support his hypothesis of continental drift:

1. He observed that the continents looked like they fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
2. He found matching fossils on continents that were separated by oceans.
3. He discovered matching mountain ranges on continents that were separated by oceans.

Despite this evidence, Wegener's idea was rejected by many geologists at the time because he did not have a well-developed hypothesis to explain what was causing the continents to drift. It wasn't until the 1960's that his idea was expanded upon by scientists like Harry Hess.