Which theory explains what causes the continents to move?

Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents change position on the Earth's surface. Established in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also explained why similar animal and plant fossils and similar rock formations are found on different continents.

How do the continents move in the theory of continental drift?

The idea of continental drift has since been subsumed into the theory of plate tectonics, which explains that the continents move by riding on plates of the Earth's lithosphere.

What does the theory of continental drift prove?

In the early part of the 20th century, scientists began to piece together evidence that the continents could move around the Earth's surface. The evidence for continental drift included the alignment of the continents; the distribution of ancient fossils, rocks and mountain ranges; and the location of old climatic zones.

What did Alfred Wegener mean by continental drift?

continental drift the concept that pangea split apart and that the continents drifted to their current positions over time Alfred Wegener's concept of plate tectonics the scientific model of the earth that explains how the continents and the ocean floor can move.

What is the best description of continental drift?

continental drift the concept that pangea split apart and that the continents drifted to their current positions over time Alfred Wegener's concept the scientific model of the earth that explains how the continents and the ocean floor can move.

How do the continents and the ocean floor move?

the scientific model of the earth that explains how the continents and the ocean floor can move. There are seven major tectonic plates the seafloor spreading the formation of new seafloor caused by the movement of oceanic plates away from each other as magma from the mantle continuously flows between the plates

Why did the continents and the North Pole move?

There are three possible explanations for this: 1) The continents remained fixed and the north magnetic pole moved. 2) The north magnetic pole stood still and the continents moved, or 3) both the continents and the north pole moved.