Pangaea: The Supercontinent

Pangaea: The Supercontinent

Read each question carefully and provide thoughtful, detailed answers. Refer to your knowledge of Earth Science and plate tectonics.

1. Which of the following provides the strongest evidence for the existence of Pangaea?

2. Approximately when did Pangaea begin to break apart?

3. What was the name of the vast global ocean that surrounded Pangaea?

1. The theory of   explains the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates.

2. Alfred Wegener proposed the concept of  , which described the gradual movement of continents over time.

3. The supercontinent Pangaea was formed during the late Paleozoic and early   eras.

1. Briefly describe two pieces of evidence, other than the fit of the continents, that support the theory of continental drift and the existence of Pangaea.

2. Explain how the breakup of Pangaea influenced global climate patterns and the evolution of life.

1. Pangaea was the only supercontinent to ever exist on Earth.

2. The formation of Pangaea led to a significant increase in biodiversity due to vast, interconnected landmasses.

Below is an image depicting Pangaea breaking apart over geological time.

Match the term on the left with its description on the right.