A student reads the text and makes the following concluding statement.

Question

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.

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(SHORT ANSWER IN YOUR OWN WORDS)

Answer 1

To determine if the statement about Wegener’s theory and banded iron formations is supported by the text, we need to analyze the evidence presented.

Evidence 1: If the text discusses the geographical distribution of banded iron formations and how they are found in locations that used to be part of Pangaea, this would support the statement. It suggests that banded iron formations are consistent with the idea of continental drift, reinforcing Wegener's theory.

Evidence 2: Conversely, if the text explains that banded iron formations do not provide clear evidence for continental breakup or that their formation is unrelated to plate tectonics, this would argue against the conclusion. This information could indicate that the theory lacks support from this geological feature.

In summary, the support for the conclusion hinges on whether the text connects banded iron formations to the historical breakup of Pangaea. If it does, the conclusion is valid; if it does not, then the statement is unsupported.