What is the Difference Between Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift

According to this theory, Earth's crust is broken into roughly 20 sections called tectonic plates on which the continents ride. ... Plate tectonics explains why Earth's continents are moving; the theory of continental drift did not provide an explanation. Therefore, the theory of plate tectonics is more complete.

1. What is the major difference between continental drift and plate tectonics quizlet?
2. What is the difference between a continent and a tectonic plate?
3. What is continental drift and plate tectonics theory?
4. What is the theory of plate tectonics distinguish between continental drift seafloor spreading and plate tectonics what evidence was used to support the theory of plate tectonics?
5. Which is not explained by plate tectonics?
6. How does plate tectonics cause continental drift?
7. What are the 4 types of plate tectonics?
8. What are 5 pieces of evidence that support continental drift?
9. What are the 4 evidence of continental drift?
10. What cause the plates to move?
11. Why was Continental Drift rejected?
12. What is continental drift theory explain?

What is the major difference between continental drift and plate tectonics quizlet?

Terms in this set (11) What are the differences between Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics? Continental drift believes that the continents moved because the magnetism of the sea floor. Plate tectonics believes that the lithosphere & the asthenosphere of the continents caused them to move.

What is the difference between a continent and a tectonic plate?

The continents are embedded in the plates. Many continents occur in the middles of plates, not at their boundaries or edges. ... Plates are composed of the Earth's crust and upper mantle, which are collectively called the lithosphere. This layer is like an eggshell compared to the total thickness of the Earth.

What is continental drift and plate tectonics theory?

According to the theory of continental drift, the world was made up of a single continent through most of geologic time. ... According to the generally accepted plate-tectonics theory, scientists believe that Earth's surface is broken into a number of shifting slabs or plates, which average about 50 miles in thickness.

What is the theory of plate tectonics distinguish between continental drift seafloor spreading and plate tectonics what evidence was used to support the theory of plate tectonics?

Continental drift is a hypothesis that suggests that earth's continents move over time. Seafloor spreading is a theory that states that new ocean crust forms along mid-ocean ridges. Evidence to support plate tectonics includes magnetic studies of the seafloor, satellite imaging, & seismic studies.

Which is not explained by plate tectonics?

Plate tectonics cannot explain dynamics of Earth and crust formation more than three billion years ago. Summary: The current theory of continental drift provides a good model for understanding terrestrial processes through history. ... Plate tectonics is a theory of continental drift and sea floor spreading.

How does plate tectonics cause continental drift?

The crust is broken up into giant tectonic plates that ride atop the magma, hot melted-rock material that makes up much of the interior of the Earth. Over millions of years, the continents drift into new configurations. Convection in the molten rock of Earth's mantle drives the movement of the plates.

What are the 4 types of plate tectonics?

• Divergent boundaries -- where new crust is generated as the plates pull away from each other.
• Convergent boundaries -- where crust is destroyed as one plate dives under another.
• Transform boundaries -- where crust is neither produced nor destroyed as the plates slide horizontally past each other.

What are 5 pieces of evidence that support continental drift?

In the early part of the 20th century, scientists began to put together evidence that the continents could move around on Earth's surface. The evidence for continental drift included the fit of the continents; the distribution of ancient fossils, rocks, and mountain ranges; and the locations of ancient climatic zones.

What are the 4 evidence of continental drift?

They based their idea of continental drift on several lines of evidence: fit of the continents, paleoclimate indicators, truncated geologic features, and fossils.

What cause the plates to move?

The heat from radioactive processes within the planet's interior causes the plates to move, sometimes toward and sometimes away from each other. This movement is called plate motion, or tectonic shift.

Why was Continental Drift rejected?

The main reason that Wegener's hypothesis was not accepted was because he suggested no mechanism for moving the continents. He thought the force of Earth's spin was sufficient to cause continents to move, but geologists knew that rocks are too strong for this to be true.

What is continental drift theory explain?

Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on Earth's surface. Set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also explained why look-alike animal and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are found on different continents.