Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics

The hypothesis that states that the continents once formed a single landmass, broke up, and drifted to their present locations

plastic-like layer of Earth on which the lithospheric plates float and move around

large, ancient landmass that was composed of all the continents joined together

sections of the Earth's crust and mantle that move due to convection.

same fossils and rock types in various locations on Earth, the continents have a puzzle-like fit, marks from glaciers in areas where glaciers can no l...

The process by which oceanic crust sinks beneath a continental crust - type convergent plate boundary.

crust that is dense, young, about 5 miles thick, and made of basalt

mid-ocean ridges (new crust); example: Mid-Atlantic Ridge

volcanic mountains (volcanoes); example: Andes Mountains

the movement of magma within the mantle where hot magma rises and cooler magma sinks

about 2.5 centimeters/1 inch

crust that contains granite, is less dense, and is about 25 miles thick

a rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust.

mountains are made; example: Himalayas

features that can occur at every type of plate boundary

plate boundaries where plates slide past each other; example: San Andreas Fault

A German scientist who proposed the theory of continental drift

others did not believe his theory because he couldn't explain how it happened

The process by which molten material adds new oceanic crust to the ocean floor

rift valley; example: East African Rift Valley