Asked by luh_.jo3
Which evidence supports the claim that Earth’s continents formed during Precambrian time?
Compaction caused rock to cool and rise to form pieces of crust.
Earth collided with a large object and threw material onto Earth’s surface.
Collisions with comets added land masses to Earth’s surface.
Earth’s surface cooled, causing rocks to cool and harden.
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Answer: Earth’s surface cooled, causing rocks to cool and harden.
Why: The early Earth was largely molten; as it cooled in the Hadean–Archean (Precambrian) a solid crust formed and continental crust differentiated. Evidence includes very old radiometrically dated rocks and minerals (e.g., >4.0 Ga detrital zircons, ancient cratons and shield rocks, greenstone belts and gneisses) that show continental crust existed in the Precambrian.
Why the others are not correct: compaction is a sedimentary process and doesn’t create primary crust; a giant collision explains the Moon’s origin more than continental formation; comets delivered volatiles (water) but not large solid land masses.
Why: The early Earth was largely molten; as it cooled in the Hadean–Archean (Precambrian) a solid crust formed and continental crust differentiated. Evidence includes very old radiometrically dated rocks and minerals (e.g., >4.0 Ga detrital zircons, ancient cratons and shield rocks, greenstone belts and gneisses) that show continental crust existed in the Precambrian.
Why the others are not correct: compaction is a sedimentary process and doesn’t create primary crust; a giant collision explains the Moon’s origin more than continental formation; comets delivered volatiles (water) but not large solid land masses.
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