Station 3: How Can Continents Move?
Step over Wegener! Hess and Wilson are here to take over proving your Continental Drift Theory.
Even though Wegener had collected a great deal of evidence for continental drift, other scientist did not praise him with encouragement or enthusiasm. For Wegener's hypothesis he need to answer the question: What makes continents drift? (Sandner, 2008).
Even though Wegener had collected a great deal of evidence for continental drift, other scientist did not praise him with encouragement or enthusiasm. For Wegener's hypothesis he need to answer the question: What makes continents drift? (Sandner, 2008).
Your Job
Examine the list of "Need to Know" words below. How do you think they relate to the Continental Drift Theory? Before you start reading the "New Evidence of Continental Drift and watching the videos below. Brainstorm a list of 4 to 5 ideas about how the words listed below relate to the Continental Drift Theory.
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Your brainstorming should be recorded in your individual Google document, Plate Tectonics - Evidence for Continental Drift - Individual Thoughts. You are then to share your predictions in the class Google Document Plate Tectonics - Evidence for Continental Drift - Station 3.
Once you have finished your brainstorming you should move on to Time to Research portion of this station. While you are reading the notes below and watching the videos, you should be making notes in your individual Google Document, Plate Tectonics Evidence for Continental Drift - Individual Thoughts. At the end of the station you will be using these notes to create a concept map of the information you have learned.
Once you have finished your brainstorming you should move on to Time to Research portion of this station. While you are reading the notes below and watching the videos, you should be making notes in your individual Google Document, Plate Tectonics Evidence for Continental Drift - Individual Thoughts. At the end of the station you will be using these notes to create a concept map of the information you have learned.
Time to Research (Read, Watch, & Take Notes)
New Evidence of Continental Drift
Alfred Wegener's evidence for continental drift did not explain how entire continents were able to change locations. As technology advanced, so did the scientific equipment required to collect further evidence. The new scientific equipment allowed scientist to measure the snails-pace drift of the Earth's tectonic plates (the rock slabs we are all living on).
Other key pieces of evidence discovered as a result of new scientific equipment were:
Other key pieces of evidence discovered as a result of new scientific equipment were:
- patterns of earthquakes and volcanoes appearing along the boundaries of tectonic plates
- the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a very long mountain range under the Atlantic Ocean, was mapped in detail allowing scientist to study the geological features
- rocks that formed along the middle of the ridge were found to be younger than other ocean rocks
- Paleomagnetism shows that iron-based rocks along the ridges are striped with reversing magnetic fields
It's All About Hess:
Hess suggested that magma (molten rock underground) rose to form new rock at certain places.
It's All About Wilson:
Wilson then unified the ideas of Wegener and Hess into the plate tectonic theory.
Hess suggested that magma (molten rock underground) rose to form new rock at certain places.
- Magma (melted rock) rises and falls like warm and cold liquids.
- The convection currents of magma formed a spreading ridge where they broke through Earth’s crust.
- The convection currents of magma function like a “new crust” conveyer belt
- Magnetic striping of basalt rock shows long stripes of new rock moving away from ocean ridges and also reveals the direction of Earth’s magnetic field at that time.
It's All About Wilson:
Wilson then unified the ideas of Wegener and Hess into the plate tectonic theory.
- Continental drift occurs because of areas like these ridges that push along tectonic plates floating on Earth’s surface.
- Geologic hot spots are anywhere magma rises to Earth’s surface.
Videos
Continents Adrift An Introduction to Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics (26:05) by Adriane McCoy
Earth's Crust (23:10) by Bill Nye the Science Guy (You may wish to start at the 12:45 minute mark)
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics (10:55) by ape3thousand (Thank-you Charlene for providing us this excellent link!)
Earth's Crust (23:10) by Bill Nye the Science Guy (You may wish to start at the 12:45 minute mark)
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics (10:55) by ape3thousand (Thank-you Charlene for providing us this excellent link!)
Check In
Let's have a check in. Create a Concept Map (Web) using the notes you recorded in your Google Document Plate Tectonics - Evidence for Continental Drift - Individual Thoughts.
You can use any of the applications previously mentioned throughout the course (CMAP, Lucid Chart, or Simple Mind), you can use a new application, you can draw it out on a piece of paper and take a photograph of it to share. It is your choice of which technology to use to create the Concept Map.
After you have completed the Concept Map proceed to Plate Tectonics - Evidence for Continental Drift - Station 3 and share your Concept Map. You are then invited to look at concept maps made by your fellow students and to make thoughtful comments, generating further discussions on your learnings.
You can use any of the applications previously mentioned throughout the course (CMAP, Lucid Chart, or Simple Mind), you can use a new application, you can draw it out on a piece of paper and take a photograph of it to share. It is your choice of which technology to use to create the Concept Map.
After you have completed the Concept Map proceed to Plate Tectonics - Evidence for Continental Drift - Station 3 and share your Concept Map. You are then invited to look at concept maps made by your fellow students and to make thoughtful comments, generating further discussions on your learnings.