Continental Drift Theory and its evidence

Panthalassa comes from Greek words: ‘pan’ means ‘all’ and ‘thalassa’ means ‘sea’. Therefore, its simple meaning is ‘all sea’. It was the vast ancient ocean believed to have surrounded Pangaea. ‘All land’ is associated with Pangaea, not Panthalassa. Exam tip: remember Pangaea for landmass and Panthalassa for ocean.

The Tethys Sea was considered between Laurasia and Gondwanaland. Exam tip: place it between the two supercontinent parts.

Similar minerals and placer deposits indicate former connection of separated coasts. Exam tip: place them under mineral evidence.

Similarity of minerals suggests continents may once have been connected. Exam tip: use gold as an example of mineral evidence.

Wegener considered lighter sial continents floating over denser sima. Exam tip: remember the difference between sial and sima.

Sial is dominated by silica and aluminium. Exam tip: connect sial with continental parts.

The word sima is formed from the first parts of the words silica and magnesium. It was used in older descriptions of the Earth’s outer layers for material considered rich in these components and comparatively dense. In school geography, sima is commonly associated with the lower or oceanic part of the crust, while sial is associated with silica and aluminium and with lighter continental material. These terms belong to the traditional explanation of crustal composition.

Option B, silica and magnesium, is correct. Option A describes the usual meaning of sial, so it is a useful contrast but not the answer to this question. Gold and silver, or oxygen and hydrogen, do not define sima. The simplest memory aid is “sima = silica + magnesium,” while “sial = silica + aluminium.” Thus the elements named in option B identify the term accurately.

Wegener explained westward drift by tidal force. Exam tip: link tidal force with attraction of the Moon and Sun.

Pole-fleeing force was considered to move continents toward the equator. Exam tip: identify the direction from the name.

The theory explains how present continents and oceans developed. Exam tip: connect it with Earth's landform pattern.

Mesosaurus fossils are found in South America and Africa. Exam tip: remember it as fossil evidence.

Lystrosaurus fossils are found in several southern landmasses. Exam tip: connect it with fossil distribution.

Similar mountain structures suggest landmasses were once connected. Exam tip: treat structural similarity as evidence.

Wegener viewed continents as landmasses moving over time. Exam tip: compare it with the old fixed-continent idea.

Some coastlines appear to match on a map. Exam tip: remember Africa and South America while seeing maps.

Gondwanaland was the southern part of Pangaea. Exam tip: connect southern continents with Gondwanaland.

Laurasia was the large northern landmass formed after the division of Pangaea. It broadly included present-day North America, Europe, and much of Asia. Gondwanaland was the southern landmass, so the southern-part option is incorrect. Exam tip: remember Laurasia for the north and Gondwanaland for the south.

Tillite is material deposited by glaciers. Exam tip: understand it as evidence of ancient glaciation.

Wegener challenged the belief of fixed continents. Exam tip: consider it a dynamic idea in geography.

After Pangaea broke continents began drifting in different directions. Exam tip: treat breakup as the start of drift.