Continental Drift Theory

Millie Thompson

Alfred Wegener

• Alfred Wegener was a scientist, geologist, and a meteorologist.

• He was born on November 1st 1880 and then died on November 2nd 1930

• He was the one who had the idea of Continental Drift.

• He made a record of flying a balloon in the air for 52 hours straight

• He went on several expeditions to Greenland to study polar air circulation

Continental Drift Theory

• The idea that continents slowly moved over Earth’s surface

Continental Drift Theory Evidence

• Evidence from Landforms-– Mountain range in South Africa lines up with a

mountain range in Argentina

• Evidence from fossils-– The same kind of fossil was found in two different

continents

• Evidence from Climate-– The weather in South Africa was once cold. They

know this because the continents were once close to the equator

Harry Hess

• Harry Hess lived from May 24th 1906 to August 25th 1969

• He was a geologist and a United States Navy officer

• He is known for his theories on Sea Floor Spreading

• Hess entered Yale University as an electrical Engineer major in 1923.

• After 2 years of Yale, he then switched to geology.

Sea Floor Spreading

• The process that continually adds new material to the ocean floor is Sea Floor Spreading.

Sea Floor Spreading Evidence

• What are the three evidences that it happens? Explain each one

Other Definitions

• Subduction-

• Mid-Ocean Ridge-

• Sonar-