Question

The land on Earth has not always been separated into the seven continents, at one time a

massive supercontinent, known as Pangaea, covered one-third of Earth’s surface. Additionally,
the supercontinent was surrounded by ocean waters called Panthalassa, much of which were in
Earth’s Southern Hemisphere. Geologists believe that the supercontinent split apart over
millions of years because of the movement of the tectonic plates that form Earth’s crust. In fact,
experts predict that over the next 250 million years the movement of the plates will cause the
seven continents to merge into a supercontinent again.

Answer 1

The supercontinent Pangaea existed around 300 to 200 million years ago and included all of Earth's continental crust. Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift, supporting it with evidence like similar fossils on separated continents. Pangaea's breakup, due to plate tectonics, facilitated distinct evolutionary paths for species on the resulting continents.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept of Pangaea refers to the supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, about 300 to 200 million years ago (Ma). It was during this time when nearly all of Earth's continental crust was assembled into this gigantic landmass. The geological evidence and scientific consensus support the notion that the breaking up of Pangaea, due to plate tectonics, led to the formation of the seven continents as we know them today.

German scientist Alfred Wegener is credited with the hypothesis of continental drift, which he proposed in 1915. Wegener compiled evidence suggesting that the continents were once conjoined, citing similar fossils found on distant continents, congruent coastlines, and matching geological structures across oceans. While initially controversial, Wegener's theory laid the groundwork for the modern theory of plate tectonics, which was only widely accepted in the 1960s.

During the existence of Pangaea, the Earth experienced extreme climates and habitat changes that greatly influenced biodiversity and evolution. The structure of Pangaea itself limited marine diversity by reducing shallow coastal habitats, contributing to the end-Permian mass extinction. Following the breakup, distinct biogeographical patterns emerged, with unique species developing on the derivatives of the supercontinent, such as Laurasia and Gondwana.

Answer 2

The question refers to the Continental Drift Theory.

Step-by-step explanation:

Continental drift is a theory proposed in 1912 by the German meteorologist and geophysicist Alfred Wegener explaining the origin of continents by the disintegration of the original Pangea supercontinent.

The original idea that the continents fit together was supported by Wegener by comparing geological and paleontological findings mainly from the coasts of Africa and South America. Today, the theory of continental drift is part of the theory of plate tectonics, which explains not only the motion of continents but also the dynamics of the Earth's mantle.