For many years it was believed by geologists that the location of the continents was fixed.These scientists believed that the locations of the continents was determined many billions of years ago,as the young Earth cooled down from its original state as a ball of molten lava.It was believed that the continents were simply areas where the crust was too high for the oceans to cover them over.
Does the highlighted portion of text above represent Wegener's hypothesis, or the beliefs of his distractors?
Please I really need to make this answer great and it's hard for me to do that because i need help PLEASE HELP!!!!
Which part of the text was highlighted?
All of the above was highlighted.
What did Wegener believe about continental drift?
He believed that all the continents matched up together and formed a supercontinent.
Yes. Does the text support his theories about continental drift?
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The highlighted portion of text represents the beliefs of geologists who believed that the continents were fixed in their locations and that they formed when the Earth's crust cooled down from a molten state. This belief predates Wegener's hypothesis on continental drift.
To make your answer great, you can incorporate the following points:
Wegener's hypothesis, known as the theory of continental drift, was proposed in the early 20th century. It suggested that the continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea and have since drifted apart to their current positions. This theory challenged the prevailing belief of the fixed continental positions held by geologists at that time.
To support your answer, you can explain that Wegener's hypothesis was based on several lines of evidence. He noted the close fit of the continents' coastlines, the similarity of rock formations on different continents, the distribution of fossils across continents, and the alignment of ancient mountain ranges that extended across now-separated landmasses. These observations led Wegener to propose that the continents were mobile and had undergone significant movements over geological time.
It is important to mention that Wegener's hypothesis faced significant opposition and skepticism from the scientific community at the time. Many geologists rejected his ideas due to the lack of a convincing mechanism to explain how the continents could move or break through the rigid crust of the Earth. It was not until the 1960s, with the discoveries of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics, that Wegener's hypothesis gained widespread acceptance and became the foundation of modern geology.
By presenting this information, you can provide a thorough and well-supported answer that highlights both Wegener's hypothesis and the opposing beliefs of geologists prior to its acceptance.