Which of these pieces of evidence did Alfred Wegener cite to support his hypothesis of continental drift?(1 point)
Responses
New oceanic crust formed between the northern and southern continents, pushing them apart.
New oceanic crust formed between the northern and southern continents, pushing them apart.
The continents fit together like a puzzle.
The continents fit together like a puzzle.
Similar fossils have been found at the bottom of the ocean and on land.
Similar fossils have been found at the bottom of the ocean and on land.
Contraction of the Earth caused folded mountains to form.
Contraction of the Earth caused folded mountains to form.
All of the above pieces of evidence were cited by Alfred Wegener to support his hypothesis of continental drift.
only one
The continents fit together like a puzzle.
Alfred Wegener cited three out of the four pieces of evidence listed above to support his hypothesis of continental drift. These pieces of evidence are:
1. The continents fit together like a puzzle: Wegener noticed that the coastlines of South America and Africa appeared to fit together like pieces of a puzzle. This observation suggested that these continents were once connected and had since drifted apart.
2. Similar fossils have been found at the bottom of the ocean and on land: Wegener discovered that identical fossilized plants and animals were found on continents that are now separated by vast oceans. This similarity in fossils indicated that these continents were once connected and had drifted apart.
3. Contraction of the Earth caused folded mountains to form: Wegener observed that mountain ranges, such as the Appalachian Mountains in North America and the Caledonian Mountains in Europe, had similar geological features and aligned in a way that suggested they were once parts of the same mountain range. Wegener proposed that the Earth's contraction had caused these mountains to form, and as the continents moved apart, they carried these folded mountains with them.
The evidence about new oceanic crust forming between the continents pushing them apart is not one of the pieces of evidence specifically cited by Wegener. However, this concept was later supported by the discovery of oceanic crust spreading at mid-ocean ridges, which further bolstered the idea of continental drift.