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Drifting of Continents and Plate Tectonics

ICSE · Class 11 · Geography

Quick revision notes for Drifting of Continents and Plate Tectonics — ICSE Class 11 Geography. Key concepts, formulas, and definitions for last-minute revision.

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Key Topics to Revise

1

Wegener's Continental Drift Theory

  • Alfred Wegener (1912, revised 1924) proposed that continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea (meaning 'all lands')
  • Pangaea existed in the Upper Carboniferous period, approximately 250-300 million years ago
  • The supercontinent was surrounded by a vast ocean called Panthalasa
2

Evidence Supporting Continental Drift Theory

  • Mountain belts: Ancient mountain systems (470-350 million years old) now separated by Atlantic Ocean show continuity when continents are reassembled
  • Fossil evidence: Similar fossils found on continents now separated by vast oceans - Glossopteris (plant), Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus (animals) found in India, Australia, South Africa, South America,
  • Geological matching: Gold deposits in Ghana (Africa) match with gold-bearing veins in Belen Sau (Brazil) across 5,000 km of Atlantic Ocean; no source rocks in Ghana indicate gold was transported from
3

Criticisms and Limitations of Continental Drift Theory

  • Jig-saw-fit is imperfect: Gap of about 15° exists between South America and Africa when positioned together
  • Direction of drift unclear: Wegener proposed westward and equatorward drift, but other scientists (F.B. Taylor, J.W. Evans) proposed different directions of drift
  • Inadequate forces: Two forces suggested by Wegener (tidal force and differential gravitational force) are mathematically insufficient; tidal force would need to be 10,000 million times more powerful,
4

Sea Floor Spreading

  • Disintegration of Pangaea occurred over the last 65 million years
  • Continental drift process continues today at measurable rates
  • Mid-oceanic ridges are cracks on ocean floors where molten rocks (magma) push upward from the mantle

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Full Notes

Key Concepts

Proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912Pangaea was the supercontinent that existedWegener used fossil distribution to supportPaleoeclimatology studies Earth's past climates throughGold deposits are found in river

Frequently Asked Questions

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Drifting of Continents and Plate Tectonics covers several key topics that are frequently asked in ICSE Class 11 board exams. Focus on the core concepts listed on this page and practise related questions to build confidence.
How to score full marks in Drifting of Continents and Plate Tectonics — ICSE Class 11 Geography?
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Sources & Official References

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