How did Wegener's theory of continental drift differ from the current theory of plate tectonics?
Wegener's theory did not explain how the continents could move.
Wegener's theory did not explain how the coastlines of continents were similar.
Wegener's theory did not explain how continents' rock patterns could match.
Wegener's theory did not explain how the fossils on different continents were similar.
All of the statements mentioned are correct. Wegener's theory of continental drift proposed that the continents were once a single landmass called Pangaea and had drifted apart over time. However, his theory did not provide a mechanism for how the continents could move. The current theory of plate tectonics explains that the Earth's lithosphere is divided into several large and small plates that float and move on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath. This movement is driven by the convection currents in the Earth's mantle.
Additionally, Wegener's theory did not provide an explanation for the similarities in the coastlines of continents or the matching patterns of rocks and fossils on different continents. Plate tectonics theory explains that these similarities are due to the fact that continents were once connected and have moved over millions of years. The movement of the plates causes the deformation and formation of new landforms, resulting in similar coastlines, rock patterns, and the distribution of fossils on different continents.