The hypothesis that continents were once joined in a single landmass and drifted apart is associated with which scientist?

The hypothesis that continents were once joined in a single landmass and drifted apart is associated with which scientist?

• A. Gondwana
• B. Laurasia
• C. Rodinia
• D. Alfred Wegener

Answer: (D)

The idea tested is tied to Alfred Wegener, who proposed continental drift—that the continents were once joined in a single landmass and have since moved apart. Wegener called the giant supercontinent Pangaea and used multiple lines of evidence to support his claim: coastlines that fit together like puzzle pieces, identical fossils found on distant continents, matching rock formations along similar belts, and clues from ancient climates such as glacial deposits in now-tropical regions. Although he couldn’t explain the mechanism behind the movement, his work laid the groundwork for the later theory of plate tectonics, which provided the driving processes in the mantle. The other names listed are ancient landmasses, not the scientist who proposed the drift.

The idea tested is tied to Alfred Wegener, who proposed continental drift—that the continents were once joined in a single landmass and have since moved apart. Wegener called the giant supercontinent Pangaea and used multiple lines of evidence to support his claim: coastlines that fit together like puzzle pieces, identical fossils found on distant continents, matching rock formations along similar belts, and clues from ancient climates such as glacial deposits in now-tropical regions. Although he couldn’t explain the mechanism behind the movement, his work laid the groundwork for the later theory of plate tectonics, which provided the driving processes in the mantle. The other names listed are ancient landmasses, not the scientist who proposed the drift.