Question
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a line of underwater volcanoes that runs approximately north-south down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Based on your knowledge of the motion of tectonic plates, briefly explain how the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is related to the moving continents described in the text. Be sure to support your explanation with evidence from the text.
3. A student reads the text and makes the following concluding statement.
Wegener’s “puzzle piece” theory about the breakup of Pangaea is supported by looking at banded iron formations found on cratons.
Is this statement supported by the information given in the text? Give two pieces of evidence from the text that either support or argue against the statement. Explain how the evidence relates to the conclusion made.
Based on your knowledge of the motion of tectonic plates, briefly explain how the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is related to the moving continents described in the text. Be sure to support your explanation with evidence from the text.
3. A student reads the text and makes the following concluding statement.
Wegener’s “puzzle piece” theory about the breakup of Pangaea is supported by looking at banded iron formations found on cratons.
Is this statement supported by the information given in the text? Give two pieces of evidence from the text that either support or argue against the statement. Explain how the evidence relates to the conclusion made.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
### Explanation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Tectonic Plates
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a critical geological feature formed by the divergent movement of tectonic plates. This ridge marks the boundary between the Eurasian and North American plates in the northern Atlantic and the African and South American plates in the southern Atlantic. As these tectonic plates move away from one another, magma rises from the mantle to fill the gap, creating new oceanic crust and resulting in volcanic activity along the ridge. This ongoing process is directly related to the theory of continental drift, as it contributes to the gradual movement of continents over geological time. As continents are pushed apart by the formation of new crust at the ridge, it provides a mechanism for the drift of continents that were once part of the supercontinent Pangaea.
### Evaluation of the Student's Concluding Statement
The student's conclusion that "Wegener’s 'puzzle piece' theory about the breakup of Pangaea is supported by looking at banded iron formations found on cratons" lacks support from the provided text. Here are two pieces of evidence that argue against the conclusion:
1. **Geological Evidence of Tectonic Activity**: If the text mentions that the formation of banded iron formations is related to ancient oceanic and atmospheric conditions rather than directly indicating continental drift or plate tectonics, it would argue against the notion that these formations directly support Wegener's theory. For example, it's possible that these formations are products of specific environmental conditions in deep time rather than being linked to the mechanics of continental breakup.
2. **Specific Indicators of Continental Drift**: If the text includes other geological features or fossil correlations that provide clearer evidence of continental drift, such as the presence of similar species on widely separated continents or rock types that align across continents, these instances stronger support Wegener’s idea than the banded iron formations. This would indicate that while banded iron formations may be interesting, they do not directly reinforce the theory of Pangaea's breakup.
In conclusion, the evidence must show how the banded iron formations specifically relate to the mechanisms of continental drift as proposed by Wegener. If they do not provide direct evidence of reconciling the geographic distribution of continents, then the student's conclusion is not adequately supported.
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a critical geological feature formed by the divergent movement of tectonic plates. This ridge marks the boundary between the Eurasian and North American plates in the northern Atlantic and the African and South American plates in the southern Atlantic. As these tectonic plates move away from one another, magma rises from the mantle to fill the gap, creating new oceanic crust and resulting in volcanic activity along the ridge. This ongoing process is directly related to the theory of continental drift, as it contributes to the gradual movement of continents over geological time. As continents are pushed apart by the formation of new crust at the ridge, it provides a mechanism for the drift of continents that were once part of the supercontinent Pangaea.
### Evaluation of the Student's Concluding Statement
The student's conclusion that "Wegener’s 'puzzle piece' theory about the breakup of Pangaea is supported by looking at banded iron formations found on cratons" lacks support from the provided text. Here are two pieces of evidence that argue against the conclusion:
1. **Geological Evidence of Tectonic Activity**: If the text mentions that the formation of banded iron formations is related to ancient oceanic and atmospheric conditions rather than directly indicating continental drift or plate tectonics, it would argue against the notion that these formations directly support Wegener's theory. For example, it's possible that these formations are products of specific environmental conditions in deep time rather than being linked to the mechanics of continental breakup.
2. **Specific Indicators of Continental Drift**: If the text includes other geological features or fossil correlations that provide clearer evidence of continental drift, such as the presence of similar species on widely separated continents or rock types that align across continents, these instances stronger support Wegener’s idea than the banded iron formations. This would indicate that while banded iron formations may be interesting, they do not directly reinforce the theory of Pangaea's breakup.
In conclusion, the evidence must show how the banded iron formations specifically relate to the mechanisms of continental drift as proposed by Wegener. If they do not provide direct evidence of reconciling the geographic distribution of continents, then the student's conclusion is not adequately supported.