Question

Which statements describe evidence of continental drift? Check all that apply.

Deserts line up when continents are pushed together.
Mountain ranges often appear on the edges of continents.
Fossils of the same animals appear on different continents.
Tropical plants currently appear in both Antarctica and South America.
Wegener’s theories were accepted by most geologists in the 1960s.
Explorers discovered the edges of continents they did not know about.

Answer 1

Select:
- Fossils of the same animals appear on different continents.
- Tropical plants currently appear in both Antarctica and South America.

Why: Matching fossil distributions (e.g., Mesosaurus, Glossopteris) and fossils of tropical plants in now-cold regions like Antarctica are classic evidence that continents were once joined.

Why the others are not correct evidence:
- "Deserts line up..." is not a commonly cited piece of evidence.
- "Mountain ranges often appear on the edges of continents" as stated is not direct evidence (the important evidence is that matching mountain belts and rock formations are found on different continents).
- Wegener’s acceptance in the 1960s is historical, not evidence.
- Discovering unknown continental edges is exploration, not evidence of drift.