PPT: Continental Drift Theory | Geography for UPSC CSE PDF Download

 Page 1


GEOGRAPHY 
CRASH COURSE
CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING
Page 2


GEOGRAPHY 
CRASH COURSE
CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING
Page 3


GEOGRAPHY 
CRASH COURSE
CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING
• It was Alfred Wegener – a German meteorologist - who 
put forth a comprehensive argument in the form of “the 
continental drift theory” in 1912. 
• Wegener was a climatologist who wanted to explain the 
change of climates in the geological past.
• Wegener was a climatologist who wanted to explain the 
change of climates in the geological past. There are 
several geological evidences to show that there have been 
important and large scale changes in the climates of the 
world in the geological past
• He came to the conclusion that either the climatic zones 
have moved or if they have not, then there has been 
movement of the landmasses.
Page 4


GEOGRAPHY 
CRASH COURSE
CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING
• It was Alfred Wegener – a German meteorologist - who 
put forth a comprehensive argument in the form of “the 
continental drift theory” in 1912. 
• Wegener was a climatologist who wanted to explain the 
change of climates in the geological past.
• Wegener was a climatologist who wanted to explain the 
change of climates in the geological past. There are 
several geological evidences to show that there have been 
important and large scale changes in the climates of the 
world in the geological past
• He came to the conclusion that either the climatic zones 
have moved or if they have not, then there has been 
movement of the landmasses.
• According to Wegener, all the continents formed a single 
continental mass, a mega ocean surrounded by the same. 
The super continent was named PANGAEA, a Greek 
word which meant all earth. The mega-ocean was called 
PANTHALASSA, meaning all water.
• Wegener argued that, around 200 million years ago, the 
Pangaea began to split. The initial two blocks –
Gondwanaland and Laurasia – started drifting away and 
in between a shallow sea emerged by filling up the water 
from Panthalasa. 
• It was known as Tethys Sea. 
• The present shape and relative position of the continents 
is the result of fragmentation of Pangaea by rifting and 
the drifting apart of the broken parts.
Page 5


GEOGRAPHY 
CRASH COURSE
CAPSTONE IAS LEARNING
• It was Alfred Wegener – a German meteorologist - who 
put forth a comprehensive argument in the form of “the 
continental drift theory” in 1912. 
• Wegener was a climatologist who wanted to explain the 
change of climates in the geological past.
• Wegener was a climatologist who wanted to explain the 
change of climates in the geological past. There are 
several geological evidences to show that there have been 
important and large scale changes in the climates of the 
world in the geological past
• He came to the conclusion that either the climatic zones 
have moved or if they have not, then there has been 
movement of the landmasses.
• According to Wegener, all the continents formed a single 
continental mass, a mega ocean surrounded by the same. 
The super continent was named PANGAEA, a Greek 
word which meant all earth. The mega-ocean was called 
PANTHALASSA, meaning all water.
• Wegener argued that, around 200 million years ago, the 
Pangaea began to split. The initial two blocks –
Gondwanaland and Laurasia – started drifting away and 
in between a shallow sea emerged by filling up the water 
from Panthalasa. 
• It was known as Tethys Sea. 
• The present shape and relative position of the continents 
is the result of fragmentation of Pangaea by rifting and 
the drifting apart of the broken parts.