Fast N Furious 12: Continental Drift
This German scientist proposed his hypothesis of continental drift in 1912
Alfred Wegener
A plate boundary where two plates move away from each other
Divergent
Two continental plates converge. They are equally dense.
The variable changed by the investigator
Independent variable
Evidence #1: Wegener observed that the continents might fit together like puzzle pieces. This is called:
Matching coastlines
A plate boundary where two plates slowly move toward each other
Convergent
Two continental plates slide past each other.
Fault lines; Earthquakes
The variable we measure in an experiment
Dependent variable
Evidence #2: Wegener noticed that some geographical formations matched up on continents now separated by oceans, such as:
Matching mountain ranges
A plate boundary where two plates slide past each other
Transform
Two oceanic plates diverge apart. Molten magma moves up to the surface.
Mid - Ocean Ridge
When more dense rock is pushed beneath less dense rock
Subduction
Evidence #3: Evidence of once living organisms such as Cynognathus have been found on continents now separated by oceans. These remains age to the same time periods. This is called:
Matching fossil evidence
Subduction and Uplift occur at this type of plate boundary
Convergent
Two continental plates diverge. Like Lake Baikal, it may fill with water.
The process that transports sediment from high to low areas
Erosion
Evidence #4 - Scratches in the Earth's crust caused by moving glaciers have been found on continents that are too warm for glaciers. These scratches are called:
Glacier striations
Seafloor spreading occurs at this type of plate boundary
Two oceanic plates converge. The older, denser plate subducts beneath the younger, less dense plate. What TWO formations occur?
Ocean Trench; Volcano
List the ways each type of rock is formed: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic
Igneous: cooled lava/magma
Sedimentary: compaction/cementation of sediment
Metamorphic: high heat and pressure