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Continent Locations in the Past and Present
The maps show the locations of continents at different times in Earth’s past.
There are five maps of the Earth's continents. The first map, labeled '250 million years ago', shows the continents joined together. The second map, labeled '200 million years ago', shows a small gap between the northern and central continents and another small gap between the central and southern continents. The third map, labeled '145 million years ago', shows the continents moving further apart. The fourth map, labeled '65 million years ago', shows a further separation between South America and Africa. The fifth map shows the continent locations at present day.
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Question 5.
This map shows the present-day locations of some of the continents. The shaded sections in South America and Africa represents two areas where similar sequences and ages of rocks are present.
A. Explain whysimilar rock sequences and ages support the claim that the continents have moved over time.
B. Look at the map that shows the continents 200 million years ago. Based on the map, which continent would be the most likely to have rock sequences and ages similar to those shown in Africa and South America? Explain why.
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Continent Locations in the Past and Present
The maps show the locations of continents at different times in Earth’s past.
There are five maps of the Earth's continents. The first map, labeled '250 million years ago', shows the continents joined together. The second map, labeled '200 million years ago', shows a small gap between the northern and central continents and another small gap between the central and southern continents. The third map, labeled '145 million years ago', shows the continents moving further apart. The fourth map, labeled '65 million years ago', shows a further separation between South America and Africa. The fifth map shows the continent locations at present day.
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Question 5.
This map shows the present-day locations of some of the continents. The shaded sections in South America and Africa represents two areas where similar sequences and ages of rocks are present.
A. Explain whysimilar rock sequences and ages support the claim that the continents have moved over time.
B. Look at the map that shows the continents 200 million years ago. Based on the map, which continent would be the most likely to have rock sequences and ages similar to those shown in Africa and South America? Explain why.
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Answers
GPT-5 mini
A. If two now-separated continents show the same sequence of rock layers with the same ages, that means those layers were once continuous across the gap. Similar deposits, structures and ages are best explained if the land they were laid down on was once joined and later moved apart. In other words, matching rock sequences are physical evidence that continents that are now separated were once connected and have drifted.
B. The continent shown in the middle/southern landmass on the 200-million-year map (the Gondwana/central continent) would be most likely to have similar rocks. At 200 Ma South America and Africa were adjacent parts of the same large southern landmass, so rock layers that formed there would be continuous across both areas and therefore have the same sequences and ages.
B. The continent shown in the middle/southern landmass on the 200-million-year map (the Gondwana/central continent) would be most likely to have similar rocks. At 200 Ma South America and Africa were adjacent parts of the same large southern landmass, so rock layers that formed there would be continuous across both areas and therefore have the same sequences and ages.