Plate Tectonics

By NatalieB2021

  • Abraham Ortelius

    Hypothesis:
    Ortelius was the first to present the theory of "Continental Drift"
    Evidence :
    The Americas,Eurasia and Africa fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.And they may have been seperated becuase of earthquakes and floods.
    Scientific Comminity :
    He did mot have enough , close to no evidence to prove it.

  • Alfred Wegener

    Hypothesis:
    Wegener also believed that the continents had once been joined together but overtime they have drifted apart.
    Evidence:
    The continents could fit together.The Appalachian mountains of the eastern US fit together with the mountains of Scotland.Wegener also found the same fosils were found on seperate continents, indicating that the continets had once been joined together.
    Scientific Community :
    Disagree, he could not explain how they moved and why.

  • Arthur Holmes

    Hypothesis :
    Earth's mantle contained convection cells of radioactive heat and it moved the crust at the surface.The heating and cooling results in a current.
    Evidence :
    It provided an explanation for the push and pull of continetal drifting and for montain formation.
    Scientific Community :
    Disagree, this idea had gotten very little attention

  • Drummond Holye Matthews

    Hypothesis:
    There was magnetic stripes on the floor of ocean ridges becuase of sea floor spreading.
    Evidence:
    The crust near mid-ocean ridges was comprised of streaks by newly formed rocks..
    Scientific Community:
    Disagree, although it helped support the theory of plate tectonics it was not completely accepted

  • Harry Hess

    Hypothesis:
    Hess came up with the idea of "Sea Floor Spreading"
    Evidence:
    Vine and Matthews discovery helped support his idea.Sea floor becomes older with distance away from the ridge crests.Seismic data had confirmed that oceanic crust was indeed sinking into trenches.
    Scientific Community:
    Agreed, his hypothesis was largely accepted.

  • Lawrence Morley

    Hypothesis :
    The rocks on the ocean floor were imprinted with a record of direction and and intensity of the Earth's magnetic field.
    Evidence :
    New magma was rising rising up contained Iron.Over time Earth's magnetic poles reversed locking new elements
    Scientific Community:
    Disagree , very undecided on whether there was enough evidence

  • Frederick J. Vine

    Hypothesis:
    Contributed to the idead of plate tectonics , presenting the idea the seafloor has a magnetic field pattern
    Evidence : There were areas that had normal or reveresed magnetic polarity in the sea floor

    Scientific Community : Disagree , very skeptical on how the rock could act as a record for magnetic polarity.How could it be reversed?

  • Dan Mckenzie

    Hypothesis:
    Dan used math to come with the idea that there are two layers of mantle each of them in motion.
    Evidence :
    Math, using models it shows that Earth is much more dynamic.
    Scientfic Community:
    Undecided