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REINFORCEMENT MATERIAL
(Science)

(GRADE 10 – QUARTER 1)

I. TOPIC: Evidences that support Plate Movement

MELC 5: Enumerate the lines of evidence that support plate movement.

Concept Presentation:

In 1915, Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist and climatologist, published a book entitled “The
Origin of Continents and Oceans”. In his book, he proposed a theory that about 200 million years ago, the
continents were once one large landmass. He called this landmass Pangaea, a Greek word which means “All
Earth”. This Pangaea started to break into two smaller supercontinent called Laurasia and Gondwanaland
during the Jurassic Period. These smaller supercontinents broke into the continents and these continents
separated and drifted apart since then. This theory is called the Continental Drift Theory.

Wegener searched for evidences to support his claim. And these are as follows:

Evidence 1: The Continental Jigsaw Puzzle

The most visible and fascinating evidence that these
continents were once one is their shapes. The edge of one
continent surprisingly matches the edge of another: South
America and Africa fit together; India, Antarctica, and
Australia match one another; Eurasia and North America
complete the whole continental puzzle in the north.

Evidence 2: Paleontological Evidence

Fossils are preserved remains or traces of organisms (plants and animals) from the remote past. Fossilized
leaves of an extinct plant Glossopteris were found in 250 million years old rocks. These fossils were located
in the continents of Southern Africa, Australia, India, and Antarctica, which are now separated from each
other by wide oceans. The large seeds of this plant could not possibly travel a long journey by the wind or
survive a rough ride through ocean waves.

Mesosaurus and Lystosaurus are freshwater reptiles. Fossils of these animals were discovered in different
continents, such as in South America and Africa. It is impossible for these reptiles to swim over the vast
oceans and move from one continent to another. Fossils were also found in Antarctica. Could it be possible
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that they existed in this region where temperature was very low? Or could it be possible that, long before,
Antarctica was not in its current position.

Evidence 3: Stratigraphic Evidence

Stratigraphy is the study of layered materials (strata) that were deposited over time. The basic law of
stratigraphy, the law of superposition, states that lower layers are older than upper layers.

Wegener specifically used rock composition and mountain ranges to provide evidence of continental
drift. He provided evidence that mountain ranges occurring on opposite continents matched up pretty well
when brought together. This perfect aligning of mountain ranges indicated that the continents were once
together. For example, if you take the mountains ranges of North America and Europe, they align perfectly
well. Mountains are typically formed when two opposite land masses collide with each other triggering the
rock found at the point of collision to fold or bulge upwards.
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Evidence 4: Paleoclimatic Evidence

Paleoclimatology is the study of past climates. Since it is not possible to go back in time to see what
climates were like, scientists use imprints created during past climate, known as proxies, to interpret
paleoclimate.

Apart from fossil evidence, Wegener used climatic clues to substantiate his facts. One of the clues he
used was the glacier. Wegener, in his expedition, he revealed that glaciers covered large areas of the world
which also are now separated by great geographic distances.

II. ACTIVITY
Directions: Find at least 5 words in the word hunt puzzle. Briefly describe or define each word.

F O S S I L G R P Q O D
A B G J K I L F L W L R
W M E S O S A U R U S I
E R Y B L S C G U T Y F
R F K Y J X I H Y Y U T
P A N G E A E J T U N R
T D L H H V R O R I B F
Y F P N N R E N E G E W
C O N T I N E N T P V R
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III. EVALUATION
1. Alfred Wegener postulated in 1912 that the continents were once a large landmass called Pangaea.
During the Jurassic Period, this landmass began to break apart into two smaller supercontinents
known as Laurasia and Gondwanaland. These smaller supercontinents have broken into the
continents, divided, and drifted away. Wegener collected proof to back up his claim. Which of the
following pieces of evidence support Wegener's theory?

I. the fit of the continents

II. the occurrence of earthquakes
III. the distribution of fossils on different continents
IV. continental and ocean floor features including mountains, volcanoes, faults, and trenches

a. I and III only

b. I, II and III only
c. I, III and IV only
d. I, II, III and IV

2. As an oceanographer, you are tasked to map the ocean floor, as mapping you have noticed that
there were stripes-like patterns on the seafloor. Through constant studying, you have discovered
that the specific magnetism of basalt rock is determined by the Earth's magnetic field when the
magma is cooling. Scientists determined that the same process formed the perfectly symmetrical
stripes on both sides of a mid-ocean ridge. The continual process of seafloor spreading separated the
stripes in an orderly pattern. This pattern also shows that the Earth's magnetic field reverses, and a
new stripe, with the new polarity, begins. Such magnetic patterns led to the recognition of the
occurrence of seafloor spreading, and they remain some of the strongest evidence for the theory of
plate tectonics. How are you going to describe the character of magnetic anomalies on the seafloor?
a. A. They occur in stripes that parallel mid-ocean ridges and are offset along transform
faults.
b. B. They occur in stripes that run perpendicular to mid-ocean ridges and parallel
transform faults.
c. C. They occur in stripes that parallel continental margins and transform faults.
d. D. They occur in stripes that run perpendicular to continental margins and parallel to
transform faults.

3. The continental drift hypothesis was developed in the early part of the 20th century, mostly by
Alfred Wegener. Wegener said that continents move around on Earth’s surface and that they were
once joined together as a single supercontinent. While Wegener was alive, scientists did not believe
that the continents could move. Why did people not believe in Wegener’s theory about continental
drift?
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a. There was a competing theory at the time that was more believable
b. There was no data showing the continents ever moved
c. The scientists did not know the force responsible for moving the continent
d. The scientist presenting the data was unreliable

4. All the southern continents—Australia, Antarctica, India, South Africa, and South America—contain
the Glossopteris fossil. Given that the Glossopteris seed is known to be big and clumsy, it is
impossible for it to have flown or drifted across the oceans to a different continent. To preserve the
Glossopteris; extensive distribution over the southern continents, the continents must have been
linked at some point in time. Fossils of extinct tropical plant Glossopteris were found in Antarctica.
Which of the following could best explain this?
a. Antarctica was once located in/or near the equator.
b. Glossopteris can live in very cold environment.
c. Nothing, everything is purely accidental.
d. There were massive and strong typhoons during the pre-historic time that might
cause the scattering of fern’s spores in different continents.

5. Despite the fossil evidence, continental drift was largely ignored for several decades. It wasn’t until
the 1950s that scientists began to take it more seriously after advances were made in
paleomagnetism. How is paleomagnetism used as a modern way to prove that plates are moving?
a. It uses a device called a magnetometer that is able to measure the orientation of
magnetic strata dating from different periods of Earth’s history that shows plate
movement.
b. Magnetic material in molten rock aligns itself with Earth’s magnetic field, thus
recording changes in the Earth’s magnetic orientation s time progresses.
c. Paleomagnetism provides evidence to support theories in plate tectonics.
d. Ocean floor is mostly composed of basalt, an iron-rich substance containing minerals
that align with the magnetic field, they record the alignment of the magnetic fields
surrounding oceanic ridges.

Prepared by:

JENINA L. BINENE
Teacher III