Tectonics Plate and Fossil2

Which of the following provides evidence for past tectonic plate motions? A. Matching rock type and rock formations can show the way the continents were once attached. B. Glacial evidence has been found in areas where glaciers could not exist if the continents were in their current location. C. Ancient life forms preserved as fossils can tell us what organisms existed and where they were. D. Matching the fossils can show that land masses were once connected. E. All of the above.

All of the above.

Why do scientists believe that some tectonic plates are moving away from each other?

Because at one point they were connected. They have since sepertated.so they must be moving away from each other.

Describes the movements of tectonic plates over long periods of time

Continental drift

Scientists believe Earth's ----- are ----- , or gradually moving Use the clues provided to fill in the blanks.

Continents, Drifting

Circular movements through the mantle

Convection current

Evidence from rocks and ------ make clear how Earth's plates have moved great distances. Use the clues provided to fill in the blanks.

Fossils

Evidence of life millions of years ago

Fossils

The Mesosaurus was a freshwater reptile that existed about 250 million years ago. Why are the fossils of Mesosaurus found today in some rock layers in both South America and Africa?

Fossils of mesosaurus are found both in south America and Africa because the continents once were connected as a single landmass millions of year ago and have moved great distances to their current location today.

Fossils of organisms that once lived in warmer climates millions of years ago have been found in arctic environments today. What fact does this evidence support?

Fossils of organisms that once lived in warmer climates that have been found the artic environmental support the fact that earths tectonic places have moved great distances.

The distribution of fossils is used as evidence for plate tectonics. The distribution of four different fossil organisms over four different continents is shown in the diagram. The distribution of which organisms can be used as evidence that Africa was once connected to South America? A. Lystrosaurus, mesosaurus, and glossopteris B. Cynognathus, glossopteris, and lystrosaurus C. Glossopteris, cynognathus, and mesosaurus d. Cynognathus, mesosaurus, and lystrosaurus

Glossopteris, cynognathus, and mesosaurus

tectonic plates

Huge pieces of crust that slowly moves on the upper ductile part of the mantle

Consists of the crust and part of the mantle.

Lithosphere

The theory of plate tectonics was, at first, rejected by most scientists. Now most geologists accept that tectonic plates exist and that these tectonic plates can and do move. What is responsible for the change in how scientists think about plate tectonics? A. New evidence was discovered that made scientists revise their ideas. B. Tectonic plates have begun to move faster and faster over time. C. There are more people studying science now than in the past. D. Scientists can now travel underneath the plates and observe their motion.

New evidence was discovered that made scientists revise their ideas.

The theory that the outer layer of Earth is divided and moves across Earth's surface

Plate tectonics

There is an idea or theory that the large masses of land all over Earth were at one time all connected as the Pangaea, or

Supercontinent

The pieces of Earth's crust and uppermost mantle are referred to as ------- , or Lithosphere Use the clues provided to fill in the blanks.

Tectonic plates

Fossil

The mineralized remains of Organism showing how long organism lived and how their bodies were structured

Mantle

The solid layer of Earth between the crust and the core; made of dense silicates.

plate tectonics

The theory that the crust is divided into large pieces called tectonic plates that slowly move on top of the mantle

Crust

The thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle

Even before modern observations provided evidence supporting the theory of plate tectonics, people developed theories that the continents were once joined together. Using only maps, what did they observe?

They developed theories that the continents were once joined togethers based on observations that the shapes of the continents appeared to allow them to fit together.

How are fossils used by scientists to show that the theory of continental drift is correct?

They show us how the continents were connected together by demonstrating how fossils on one continent were present on other continents at the same time, even though the animals could not have crossed a ocean if there was in the way. This means that they must have been able to walk from one continent to another because the contents all made on giant landmass

By studying the distribution of different types of fossils, geologists have determined that some plates have traveled great distances. Evidence to support this comes from the fact that-

fossils of organisms that lived in warm climates have been found in arctic environments.

Index Fossil

fossils of widely distributed organisms that lived during only one short period and used to correlate rock strata

There is an idea or theory that the large masses of land all over Earth were at one time all connected as the Pangaea, or Use the clues provided to fill in the blanks. A. Tectonic plates B. Supercontinent C. Drifting D. Glacier E. Fossils F. Volcanoes G. Continents

supercontinent

Before there was evidence from rocks and fossils, many scientists theorized that the continents were once joined together. Using only maps, these scientists observed that-

the shapes of the continents allowed them to fit together.

continental drift

the theory that the continents were once joined and then slowly drifted apart