1. Label the cross-section of the Earth below.
- Inner Core
- Outer Core
- Mantle
- Crust
- Lithosphere (or Continental/Oceanic Crust, depending on the specific layer indicated)
- Asthenosphere (if applicable to the diagram)
2. Why was Wegener’s theory of continental drift ridiculed when it was first proposed?
- Wegener could not provide a convincing mechanism for how continents moved; he suggested tidal forces and centrifugal force, which scientists at the time showed were insufficient.
- He was a meteorologist, not a geologist, so his ideas were dismissed by many in the geological community.
- There was no widely accepted evidence at the time to support large-scale horizontal movement of continents.
- The prevailing scientific view held that continents and ocean basins were fixed in place.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of plate tectonic boundaries worksheet.
