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Alexander du Toit was a geologist who proposed the theory of "continental drift" in the early 20th century. He suggested that the continents were once part of a single supercontinent called Pangaea and that they had drifted apart over time. His work laid the foundation for the development of the theory of plate tectonics.
The theory of plate tectonics
Alfred Wegeners 1912 theory of Plate tectonics and continental drift.
Alfred Wegener observed the apparent fit of the coastlines of South America and Africa, suggesting they were once joined. This observation helped support his theory of continental drift, which proposed that continents were once connected in a single landmass called Pangaea and drifted apart over time. This theory laid the foundation for the modern theory of plate tectonics.
Why is South America and Africa moveded apart?
Plate Tectonics has some continents moving apart (e.g. North America and Europe) and others moving together or colliding (e.g. India and Asia). The movement is complex as it is driven by convection cells in the mantle.
yes. because of the sea-floor spreading making Africa and South America drift apart even more
The theory that led to the theory of plate tectonics is called continental drift. Proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century, continental drift suggested that continents were once joined together and have since drifted apart to their current positions on Earth's surface.
North America
Africa and South America have coastlines that fit together like puzzle pieces, particularly along the western edges where the continents appear to have once been connected before drifting apart. This phenomenon is known as continental drift and provides evidence for the theory of plate tectonics.
Yes, the plate tectonics theory developed from the earlier continental drift theory. The continental drift theory, proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century, suggested that continents were once joined together and drifted apart. Plate tectonics, developed in the mid-20th century, expanded on this by incorporating the movement of Earth's lithosphere plates and explaining the processes driving continental drift.
The theory that explains how the continents have moved apart is called plate tectonics. This theory suggests that the Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that move and interact with each other, causing continents to drift over long periods of time. This movement is driven by processes such as seafloor spreading and subduction.