Pangaea and Continental Drift
Explore the supercontinent Pangaea, the theory of continental drift, and the evidence supporting these geological concepts in this Grade 11 science worksheet.
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Pangaea and Continental Drift
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. For multiple-choice questions, select the best option. For short answer, provide concise and accurate responses.
1. The supercontinent Pangaea existed during which geological era?
Cenozoic
Mesozoic
Paleozoic
Precambrian
2. Which scientist is credited with proposing the theory of continental drift?
Charles Darwin
Alfred Wegener
Isaac Newton
Albert Einstein
1. The large landmass of Pangaea was surrounded by a single global ocean called .
2. One piece of evidence for continental drift is the discovery of matching on widely separated continents.
3. The theory of continental drift eventually evolved into the more comprehensive theory of .
1. All of Earth's continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Gondwana.
True
False
2. The 'fit' of the continents' coastlines is purely coincidental and not considered strong evidence for Pangaea.
True
False
1. Describe two pieces of geological evidence (other than the 'fit' of continents) that support the existence of Pangaea and continental drift.
2. Explain how the distribution of unique fossil species across different continents provides evidence for Pangaea.
Observe the map below, which illustrates the supercontinent Pangaea. Answer the questions that follow.
1. Based on the map, identify two present-day continents that were once connected and explain how their shapes suggest this connection.
2. Imagine you are a paleontologist. How would the configuration of Pangaea explain the discovery of identical fossil species in South America and Africa?