Pangea
Pangea was a supercontinent that formed about 300 million years ago and began to break apart about 175 million years ago. It was made up of all of Earth's continents combined into one landmass. The name Pangea comes from the Greek words “pan,” meaning all, and “gea,” meaning Earth.
Pangea was surrounded by a single ocean, called Panthalassa,which covered about one-third of the Earth's surface.
The formation of Pangea had a significant impact on Earth’s climate, ocean currents, and the evolution of life on land.
Over millions of years, the supercontinent began to break apart, resulting in the formation of the modern continents we have today. The process of continental drift continues today, with the movement of plates caused by the Earth's internal heat and pressure.
Pangaea is a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras about 300-180 million years ago. The name "Pangaea" comes from the Greek words "pan" meaning "all" and "gaea" meaning "earth." It was the result of the continuous movement of tectonic plates over millions of years.
Here are the steps to understand the formation and breakup of Pangaea:
1. Continental Drift: Over millions of years, the Earth's tectonic plates, which are large pieces of the Earth's lithosphere, have been moving. The theory of continental drift, proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century, suggests that Earth's continents were once joined together in a single supercontinent.
2. Formation of Pangaea: About 300 million years ago, the tectonic plates started to come together, gradually forming the supercontinent known as Pangaea. The process took millions of years. At this time, most of the Earth's landmasses were concentrated in one mass, with a large ocean surrounding it called Panthalassa.
3. Size and Shape: Pangaea was massive, spanning nearly all of the Earth's land area and covering about one-third of the planet's surface. It had a C-shaped configuration, with two primary landmasses—Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south—connected by a vast central region.
4. Climate and Life: Due to the formation of Pangaea, the climate changed dramatically. The interior of the supercontinent became drier and more arid, while the edges experienced more tropical and humid conditions. Life also adapted to these changes, with new species evolving and adapting to the different environments.
5. Breakup of Pangaea: About 180 million years ago, the tectonic activity caused Pangaea to start breaking apart. This process led to the formation of the present-day continents. The breakup of Pangaea resulted in the formation of new oceans, including the Atlantic Ocean. Gondwana split into several landmasses, which eventually became South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and the Indian subcontinent. Laurasia eventually broke apart, forming North America, Europe, and Asia.
Understanding the formation and breakup of Pangaea helps us comprehend the Earth's dynamic nature and the evolution of its landmasses over millions of years.