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Which of the following was NOT a line of evidence used by Wegener to develop this theory that continents drift?

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Final answer:

Alfred Wegener used several pieces of evidence to support his continental drift theory, excluding knowledge on plate tectonics, which wasn't developed until after his time.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alfred Wegener developed his theory of continental drift by using several key pieces of evidence, which included the following:

  • The matching of continental shapes, suggesting they once fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
  • Similar fossils found on continents separated by oceans, indicating past connections.
  • Matching geological formations, such as mountain ranges, across oceans.
  • Evidence from paleoclimate indicators, demonstrating regions were once positioned differently relative to the poles and equator.

However, one line of evidence NOT used by Wegener to develop his theory of continental drift was knowledge on plate tectonics. In Wegener's time, there was no explanation for the mechanism behind the continents' movements. The theory of plate tectonics, which provides this mechanism, was only developed decades later, which substantiated Wegener's initial hypothesis of continental drift.

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