It was first suggested by a german meteorologist, alfred wegener in 1912. This article talks about theory of continental drift. In 1915, wegener proposed his continental drift theory. The reaction to alfred wegener s theory tells us much about the workings of science. He further expanded the idea in his book the origin of continents. Why coal fields are found in the cold climatic regions of the tundra. These notes will also be useful for other competitive exams like banking po, ssc, state civil services exams and so on. He also had ideas about why the continents drift, which other scientists thought were impossible. In a lecture in 1912, wegener proposed a startling theory of continental drift continental drift theory alfred wegener.
Continental drift the theory of continental drift is defined as the movement of the earths continents relative to each other, thereby appearing to drift together across the oceanic bed. According to wegener, about 300 million years all the continents had formed a single. The book was revised in 1920, 1922 and 1929 in response to criticisms of the theory and advances in earth sciences. Wegener accumulated a great deal of evidence to support his hypothesis, most notably the remarkable number of close affinities of geologic features on both sides of the atlantic ocean he found the continental margins of the subequatorial portions of africa and south america fit together with jigsaw puzzlelike precision.
Wegener first presented his theory of continental drift publicly in a lecture on january 6, 1912. Wegeners explanation of continental drift in 1912 was that drifting occurred because of the earths rotation. Wegener hypothesis of continental drift a catchy phrase adopted mainly by the critics, as wegener talks more general of displacement theory was received with mixed feelings. Ncert notes on important topics for the upsc civil services exam. However, wegeners hypothesis lacked a geological mechanism to explain how the continents could drift across the earths surface as he proposed. Continental drift theory by alfred wegener brainery. Wegeners evidence for continental drift theory upsc ias. What do you understand by continental drift theory. The hypothesis asserts that the continents consist of.
Suddenly the pieces of the puzzles fell into place, producing simple, plausible pictures of past climates. Wegener also made major contributions to geology, geophysics, astronomy, geodesy, atmospheric physics, meteorology, and glaciology. Ncert notes continental drift geography notes for upsc. There he argued for the separation of wegeners pangea into the two super continents, laurasia and gondwana. In total there are 5 points that provides a strong evidence that the continental drift theory. Creator of the continental drift theory makers of modern science yount, lisa on. Alfred lothar wegener 1 november 1880 november 1930 was a german scientist and meteorologist. This article talks about the continental drift theory upsc. Continental drift wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Alfred wegner was a german meteorologist who put forth the continental drift theory in 1912 it is considered that there was a single landmass called pangaea which means all earth. Based on the fit of the coastlines, fossil evidence, rock types, and mountain ranges found on separate continents, alfred wegener developed a new theory he called continental drift. Wegners continental drift theory jharkhand pcs exam notes. Wegener also noticed that if you could shove western europe and africa together with north and south america, their coastlines would fit together very neatly.
Continental drift theory alfred wegener, 1922 plate tectonics breakup of pangea. He died in 1930 on an expedition to explore greenlands continental glacier. A large super continent pangea split into smaller fragments about 200300 million years ago. Wegener had, not only simply put forwarded his theory of. According to continental drift theory there existed one big landmass which he called pangaea which was covered by. Continental drift theory, basically means the way that resulted the present location of the continents and oceans. In 1915 the first edition of the origin of continents and oceans, a book outlining wegeners theory, was published. Evidence later accumulated from other areas of research, but the theory was not taken seriously until well after wegeners death. The concept was independently and more fully developed by alfred wegener in 1912, but his theory was rejected by many for. The speculation that continents might have drifted was first put forward by abraham ortelius in 1596.
Why was alfred wegeners continental drift theory rejected. While wegener was alive, scientists did not believe that the. Continental drift theory proposed by alfred wegener tries to explain the distribution of oceans and continents. Learn continental drift theory wegener with free interactive flashcards. Alfred wegner was a meteorologist and geophysicist and he was concerned with the following puzzling questions why should tropical fern have grown in london,paris and bonn. Since the continents floated on the plates, the plate tectonic theory provided the much needed mechanism for wegners continental drift. Finally, a challenging problem requiring explanation. Why glaciers have covered parts of brazil,peninsular india,australia,aouth america and congo basin at the same time. That continent eventually separated and drifted apart, forming into the seven continents we have today. Wegener s evidence for continental drift theory upsc ias.
Resolution of the sixty year debate over continental drift, culminating in the triumph of plate tectonics, changed the very fabric of earth science. The theory deals with the distribution of the oceans and the continents. The currently accepted rate for the separation of the americas from europe and africa is about 2. Continental drift and plate tectonics university of iceland. Wegners continental drift theory punjab pcs exam notes. But it was in 1912, alfred wegener, a geologist came up with the theory of continental drift. The continental drift hypothesis was developed in the early part of the 20 th century, mostly by alfred wegener. He named this continent pangaea from the greek for all the earth, and pronounced pangeeuh.
Continental drift p95 red book, 182 in sciencesaurus theory that continents were once part of a single landmass that broke apart and have moved to their present locations. The frontal edges of westward movement of continental blocks of north and south america were crumpled and folded against the resistance of the rocks of the sea floor and thus, the western cordilleras of the. The first continental portion of the earth was called pangea, and the. Online classes and test series prelims and mains for upsc civil services exam 2021. Alfred wegeners continental drift theory has five evidences which have been explained in this video. According to the theory, all the continents formed a single. Know about continental drift theory, plate tectonics, alfred wegener, pangaea and more. The reaction to alfred wegeners theory tells us much about the workings of science. Because wegener could not identify the cause of continental drift, most geologists rejected his idea. All this evidence led wegener to believe that the continents were once connected but had separated and drifted apart. He wrote the origin of continents and oceans dealing with the theory in 1915. Creator of the continental drift theory makers of modern science. Pangaea then split, and its pieces drifted, or moved, apart over millions of years to form todays continents.
When alfred wegener first made his case for continental drift, he relied on two main lines of argument. How did alfred wegener support his theory of continental. More than 100 years ago, a german scientist was ridiculed for advancing the shocking idea that the continents were adrift. He published his observations in a geological comparison of south america with south africa1927, and later he developed his ideas in our wandering continents1937. Distribution of oceans and continents chapter 4 geography. About 300 million years ago, claimed wegener, the continents had formed a single mass, called pangaea.
He is in fact known as the father of continental drift. Continental drift theory was put forth by alfred wegener, a german meteorologist, polar explorer, astronomer, and geologist. This four volume treatise on the continental drift controversy is the first complete history of the origin, debate and gradual acceptance of this revolutionary theory. Continents cover 29 percent of the surface of the earth and remainder is under oceanic waters. Ias exam preparation continental drift theory geography. Theory of continental drift the continental drift hypothesis was developed in the early part of the 20th century, mostly by alfred wegener. In his work, wegener presented a large amount of very strong evidence in support of continental drift, but the mechanism remained elusive.
In it, wegener said that the continents were not fixed in place. According to continental drift theory there existed one big landmass which he called pangaea which was covered by one big ocean called panthalassa. He said that all the continents had initially been one big landmass, which he called pangea. Continental drift plates in the crust of the earth, according to the plate tectonics theory from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia continental drift is the movement of the earths continents relative to each other. While his ideas attracted a few early supporters such as alexander du toit from south africa and arthur holmes in england, the hypothesis was generally met with skepticism from largely conservative scientists, who were resistant to any change in. When continental drift was considered pseudoscience. In 1930 he visited greenland for the last time, where he died shortly after his fiftieth birthday. In his work, wegener presented a large amount of observational evidence in support of continental drift, but the mechanism remained a problem, partly because wegeners estimate of the velocity of continental motion, 250 cmyear, was too high. The first comprehensive theory of continental drift was suggested by the german meteorologist alfred wegener in 1912. Wegener was a german meteorologist, geophysicist and polar researcher. Alfred wegeners theory of continental drift and evidence.
All of these facts supported wegeners theory of continental drift. Figure alfred wegener although scientists rejected his theory, wegener continued to collect evidence on continental drift and to update his book. This was the idea that the continents were slowly drifting around the earth. In 1912, alfred wegener proposed a theory that the continents had once been joined, and over time had drifted apart. In 1915 he published the origin of continents and oceans, which outlined his theory of continental drift. Although alfred wegener was able to produce a viable hypothesis with evidence and specifically state the theory, it should be noted there were previous. Wegener took this figure from du toit andincluded it in the fourth edition of his book. Choose from 483 different sets of continental drift theory wegener flashcards on quizlet.
Although the theory has some lacunae but it is the foundation for modern theories such as plate tectonics and sea floor spreading. The evidence which gave rise to the theory of continental drift includes the following. According to wegners theory, there was only one large continent 300 million years ago. Various theories regarding the drift of the continents and oceans were forwarded by numerous geographers, among which the continental drift theory by alfred wegener, was considered the most valid and significant one. Though abraham ortelius, a dutch cartographer was the first one to work on ideas of symmetric coastlines on the sides of atlantic ocean. Upsc geography continental drift theory neostencil. Continental drift theory continental drift means the movement of. Continental drift is the theory that the earths continents have moved over geologic time relative to each other, thus appearing to have drifted across the ocean bed. Alfred wegener suggested continental drift theory in the 1920s. Professor alfred wegener of germany was primarily a meteorologist. According to the theory of continental drift, the world was made up of a single continent through most of geologic time. Wegener thought continental drift was the key to these climatic puzzles, so he and vladimir koppen plotted ancient deserts, jungles, and ice sheets on paleogeographic maps based on wegeners theory. Wegener believed that continental drift was the result of centrifugal force and tidal attraction, but the scientific community. Continental drift theory continental drift theory was proposed by alfred wegener in 1912.
Wegener said that continents move around on earths surface and that they were once joined together as a single supercontinent. He is most notable for his theory of continental drift, which he proposed in december 1912. Alfred wegeners contemporaries rejected his theory of continental drift because it challenged many established scientific theories at the time, and he lacked a compelling explanation for the cause of continental drift. It will help you for revision, note making for upsc csat ias, school and. About 100 years ago, in 1915, wegener proposed his theory of continental drift. Wegener was a member of four expeditions to greenland.
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