Wegener and the Theory of Continental Drift Free Essays

Arranged for Dr. Heather Hauser Shorter University EASC 2060 The Natural World Submitted by Lillie Momon December 6, 2011 Running head: Wegener and the Theory of Continental Drift Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) was a German researcher in the fields of meteorology, stargazing, and geography. He was one of the primary researchers to conjecture about the mainland float or landmasses moving, which underpins the conviction that the Earth’s mainlands used to be a solitary land mass. We will compose a custom article test on Wegener and the Theory of Continental Drift or on the other hand any comparative theme just for you Request Now Wegener called this land mass, â€Å"Pangaea†, in light of the fact that the mainlands started to separate, and different parts floated away from each other. As indicated by Wegener, â€Å"the eastern shoreline of Africa and the western shoreline of South America fit together like a bit of jigsaw puzzle, and when you adjust the mainlands at their mainland retires, their fit is even better† [ (Wegener, 2007) ]. At the point when researcher and geologist started to voyager around the globe, it was considerably increasingly clear that Wegener’s hypothesis of mainland float could be conceivable, on the grounds that researcher had once believed that the landmasses had begun in their places, where they presently lie. Be that as it may, Wegener’s hypothesis started to change the manner in which individuals took a gander at the world. In light of the hypothesis of mainland float, Wegener started to accumulate proof from around the globe from landforms, fossils, and atmosphere and put it in a book titled â€Å"The Origin of Continents and Oceans,† which was distributed in 1915. Wegener’s hypothesis was dismissed on the grounds that he was unable to give proof on the power that moved the landmasses. Base upon the perusing of, Conceptual Integrated Science, Harry Hess and Robert Dietz, the two researchers concocted a speculation that connected, Wegener’s hypothesis of mainland float, to ocean bottom spreading. The ocean bottom is over and over changing; as new lithosphere frames in mid sea the more established lithosphere is pushed from the edge into a profound sea channel, which makes the landmasses shift† [ (Weil, 1997) ]. As per Dr. Heather Hauser, an educator at Shorter University, in the late nineteen fifties, geologists discovered new proof of mainland float, for example, two rocks co ordinating precisely. The two rocks were a similar age, and had the equivalent definite hereditary structure. These two landforms were found in 1958. The area of these stones, were western South America and south eastern Africa. This disclosure demonstrates that mainland float has really happened, on the grounds that it is about outlandish for two rocks of a similar kind to turn up on two separate landmasses [ (Hauser, 2011) ]. At that point in 1912, Wegener likewise found a tropical plant on the island of Spitsbergen. This island lies north of Norway in the Atlantic Ocean. Today Spitsbergen is canvassed in ice and has polar atmosphere. This is significant on the grounds that today no tropical plant can develop in Spitsbergen, since its temperature is excessively cold. Wegener demonstrated that, Spitsbergen was once nearer to the equator. He imagined this was the main conceivable answer for the abnormal disclosure. Simultaneously when Spitsbergen was warm and tropical, Africa’s temperature was freezing, yet today Africa is known for its hot and tropical atmosphere. A few geologists have inferred that the temperature was once freezing by finding rocks that are shrouded in profound scratches. These scratches were brought about by mainland ice sheets. Today, Africa’s climate is unreasonably mellow for an icy mass to frame. Wegener presumed that when Pangaea existed, it was nearer toward the South Pole. In light of science look into, when any mainland moves to either post, their temperature starts to drop. In light of, the entirety of the proof from the landforms, fossils and atmosphere, persuades that mainland float did happened [ (Wagner, 2008) ]. Researcher additionally found specific new water reptile fossils that have been found in Africa and South America. These two landmasses were isolated by the Atlantic Ocean, making it amazingly hard for a similar fossil to be found on to various mainland. Which makes Wegener’s hypothesis progressively conceivable? Researcher later found a fernlike plant, which had existed around 200 and fifty years back. Wegener utilized this plant to demonstrate his hypothesis of mainland float could have happened, in light of the fact that this plant was found in numerous areas [ (Wagner, 2008) ]. Likewise dependent on, the proof from the landforms, fossils and atmosphere, drives researcher and geologist the same to accept that mainland float, really occurred. We additionally have our perusing material from, Conceptual Integrated Science and a short narrative film on the earth covering that was appeared in our Science class, the Natural World, which ook put at Shorter University, regulated by, Dr. Heather Hauser, which infers that the plate tectonics are the primary powers behind the progressions that occur here on Earth. If we somehow managed to utilize a portion of the obvious of plate tectionic,using the limit between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate to delineate only a couple of the intrigu ing highlights that are made along these limits. As indicated by the obvious looked into, the earth’s covering is certifiably not a strong mass. It is molded progressively like a jigsaw puzzle that is comprised of mainland plates that move around on the mantle. This development happens gradually and huge scope development must be estimated in a large number of years as indicated by Dr. Hauser [ (Hauser, 2011) ]. Wegener’s hypothesis is to a great extent dependent on a mix of two principle thoughts: Continental Drift and Sea flooring. Each bit of the riddle slides and granulates past, under, finished, or away from different pieces around it. The limit where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate meet is called, a concurrent limit. This is the place one plate (The Pacific Plate) moves into and afterward underneath the other one (North America). This makes a ton of crushing, collapsing, pushing, and in any case vicious powers [ (Hewitt, 2007) ]. So in this manner, in view of the proof which have been give in reference to the landforms, fossils, atmosphere, ocean bottom spreading, and plate structural forces one to accept, that Alfred Wegener, hypothesis of the mainland float truly did happened and that mainland float will proceed for millions and millions or years, long after people are no more. Hauser, D. H. (2011, November 29). The Natural World. (L. Momon, Interviewer) Hewitt, P. G. (2007). Reasonable Integrated Science. San Francisco: Pearson. Wagner, I. 2008, Aug 11). The Great Continental Drift Mystery. Recovered November 28, 2011, from Yale Educational Curriculum: http://www. yale. edu/ynhti/educational program/units/1991/6/91. 06. 05. x. html Watson, J. (1999, Oct 11). Dynamic Contienents. Recovered November 26, 2011, from http://bars. usgs. gov/gip/dynamic/landmasses. html Wegener, A. (2007). Mainland Drift-An Idea Before Its Time. In P. G. hewitt, Conceptual Integrated Science (pp. 511-517). San Francisco: Pearson. Weil, A. (1997, Mar 6). The Rocky History of an Idea. Recovered November 26, 2011, from Plate Tectonics: http://www. ucmp. berkeley. edu/geography/techist. html Instructions to refer to Wegener and the Theory of Continental Drift, Papers