What three pieces of evidence do scientists use to support the Theory of Continental Drift? LIST and EXPLAIN each:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift
Scientists use multiple pieces of evidence to support the Theory of Continental Drift, which proposes that the Earth's continents were once a single landmass and have since drifted apart. Three key pieces of evidence are the fit of continents, fossil distribution, and rock similarities:
1. Fit of continents: The first evidence is the remarkable fit between the coastlines of continents, most notably the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa. If you carefully examine a world map, you will notice how these continents appear to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. This suggests that at some point in the past, they were joined together. The fit of the continents provides a strong visual clue supporting the idea of continental drift.
2. Fossil distribution: The second evidence comes from the distribution of fossils across different continents. Paleontologists have found fossils of the same species of plants and animals on continents that are now widely separated by oceans, such as similar fossils of reptiles found in Africa and South America. These similarities in fossil records suggest that the continents were once connected and the organisms were able to move freely across them. The distribution of fossils is consistent with the movement of continents over time.
3. Rock similarities: The third evidence for continental drift lies in the similarities of rock formations on different continents. Geologists have discovered matching rock types, ages, and geological structures on continents that are now far apart, such as the Appalachian Mountains in eastern North America and the Caledonian Mountains in northwestern Europe. These similarities in rock formations imply that these continents were once adjacent and later separated. The presence of identical or closely related rock sequences provides additional support for continental drift.
To summarize, scientists rely on the fit of continents, fossil distribution, and rock similarities as evidence for the Theory of Continental Drift. By examining these pieces of evidence, they can build a compelling case for the idea that the continents were once connected and have since moved over time.