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Abraham Ortelius
Hypothesis: He believed that the Americas and other continents were joined together once as one. Then over time they began to separate into the continents we have today.
Evidence: The continents edges can fit into each other like puzzle pieces. For example North America and South America.
The scientific community did not agree with his theory during his time because like Alfred Wegner he was unable to explain how the continents moved or what caused them to move. -
James Hutton
Hypothesis: Where the force causing the continental drift was the natural ground rising over time and is made with material from ruins of continents
Evidence: Erosion, sedimentation, hot springs, and volcanoes.
The scientific community did agree because he was the founder of geology and was well respected as the father of modern time. -
Alfred Wegner
Hypothesis: The Continental Drift Theory that the continents were once one super giant continent. Through time and because of some force were separated.
Evidence: Climate clues, rock formation and fossils on different continents, and Glossopteris trails.
The scientific community disagreed with Wegner because he wasn't able to explain how or what force caused the continents to drift. -
Arthur Holmes
Hypothesis: The convection currents within earth's mantle by the radioactive heat caused by magma rising which is the mechanism for the continental drift.
Evidence: He has recorded convection currents moving their way through the mantle.
The scientific community disagreed because his theory involved ells with radioactive heat and was on how the continental drift occurred with barely any evidence. -
Harry Hess
Hypothesis: The theory was sea floor spreading which is how he believed was how the continental drift occurred.
Evidence: Th oceans were more shallow in the middle and deepest near the continental margins. Also molten material oozed out through the margins.
the scientific community agreed because his evidence was proven of where in the ocean it is shallow and deep near the margins. -
Fredrick J. Vine
Hypothesis: He contributed in the Continental Drift Theory. He found that the ridges of the continents have magnetic strips. The Earth's crust is also made up iron allowing it to be magnetic.
Evidence: The earth's crust is made up of iron. He found magnetic polarity which is also known as reversed polarity. This is when North's magnetic pole is near the South's.
The scientific community did agree with Fredrick because there has been similar theories and was able to prove earth's crust has iron. -
Drummond Hoyle Matthews
Hypothesis: The theory was that the earth's crust was magnetized along the crust. As well as the oceanic crust. This is similar to sea floor spreading. He worked along side Fredrick Vine
Evidence: The crust is made up of iron, reversed polarity, ans magnetic polarity.
The scientific community agreed with his theory because he was able to prove his evidence and of other similar theories. -
Lawrence Morley
Hypothesis: Magma would rise up at Mid Ocean ridge wit then get locked into a magnetic position.
Evidence: Alternating pattern of reverse and normal polarity in the rock of the ocean floor.
The scientific community agreed with the theory because there has been several similar theories showing strong evidence and support.
