Do Africa and South America fit together?
The Atlantic coasts of Africa and South America appear to fit together neatly, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The same shape is also traced out by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, shown on this map by the light-colored area (representing relatively shallow seas) between the two continents.
Why do Africa and South America appear to fit together so well?
According to the theory of continental drift, why do the coastlines of Africa and South America appear to fit together so well? Africa and South America are drifting towards each other and will soon fit together perfectly. Ocean currents on either side of the Atlantic have eroded the coastlines into the same shape.
Is South America similar to Africa?
We now know it is not the continents that move, but the plates, in which the continents are embedded. South America and Africa were once together, but were split apart by the formation of a diverging plate boundary. This is confirmed by matches between the rocks and fossils of the two continents.
Why are South America and Africa moving apart?
Students figure out: The South American and African plates moved apart as a divergent boundary formed between them and an ocean basin formed and spread. At divergent plate boundaries, rock rises from the mantle and hardens, adding new solid rock to the edges of both plates.
What continents can fit like a puzzle?
The theory of continental drift simply stated that continents drifted from one location to another over time. Wegener noticed that the coasts of South America and Africa seemed to fit together like a puzzle.
How do the continents fit together?
The continents fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents were once united into a single supercontinent named Pangaea, meaning all earth in ancient Greek. He suggested that Pangaea broke up long ago and that the continents then moved to their current positions.
Which of the following is good evidence that South America and Africa were once joined together Quizizz?
They observed that South American and Africa fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Fossil evidence was located that revealed that the continents were once connected. Fossils of extinct plants and animals were discovered on the African continent.
What is the difference between South America and Africa?
Africa is 1.69 times as big as South America At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth’s total surface area and 20% of its land area. Algeria is Africa’s largest country by area, and Nigeria is its largest by population.
What do South America and Africa have in common?
These are two continents with much in common. Apart from the obvious cultural ties, both are rapidly-expanding, developing regions, and in recent years they have striven to promote a stronger economic bond.
How long did it take for South America and Africa to separate?
about 140 million years ago
Some 180 million years ago, in the Jurassic Period, the western half of Gondwana (Africa and South America) separated from the eastern half (Madagascar, India, Australia, and Antarctica). The South Atlantic Ocean opened about 140 million years ago as Africa separated from South America.
Which two continents can fit?
The east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa seem to fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and Wegener discovered their rock layers “fit” just as clearly. South America and Africa were not the only continents with similar geology.
Where does South America fit in the world?
The fit of South America and Africa, including the continental shelf at a depth of 500 metres. Almost as soon as the continents were mapped, it was noticed that South America fits neatly into the corner of Africa. This fit is even better if you include the shallow underwater shelf which extends around their coastlines.
How are the continents of South America and Africa similar?
The east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa seem to fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and Wegener discovered their rock layers “fit” just as clearly. South America and Africa were not the only continents with similar geology.
What is the fit of the continents?
The Fit of the Continents. The fit of South America and Africa, including the continental shelf at a depth of 500 metres. Almost as soon as the continents were mapped, it was noticed that South America fits neatly into the corner of Africa. This fit is even better if you include the shallow underwater shelf which extends around their coastlines.
Did Africa and South America once share a land bridge?
The following fall Wegener came across scientific papers promoting the prevailing theory that Africa and South America had once been connected by a continent-size land bridge that had since sunk into the sea. They cited as evidence fossils of identical animals that had lived in both areas simultaneously hundreds of millions of years ago.