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Which of the following evidences support the Continental Drift Theory?
1. Matching of Africa and South America continents.
2. Rocks of the same age across the oceans
3. Absences of source rock in the region of rich placer deposits
4. Distribution of fossils
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
  • a)
    3 and 4 only
  • b)
    2 and 4 only
  • c)
    1 and 3 only
  • d)
    1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Which of the following evidences support the Continental Drift Theory?...
All statements are correct
Supplementary notes:
Evidence in Support of the Continental Drift
  • The Matching of Continents (Jig-Saw-Fit)
    (i) The shorelines of Africa and South America facing each other have a remarkable and unmistakable match. 
    (ii) A map produced using a computer program to find the best fit of the Atlantic margin was presented by Bullard in 1964. The match was tried at 1,000- fathom line instead of the present shoreline.
  • Rocks of Same Age Across the Oceans
    (i) The radiometric dating methods developed in the recent period have facilitated correlating the rock formation from different continents across the vast ocean. 
    (ii) The belt of ancient rocks of 2,000 million years from the Brazil coast matches with those from western Africa.
    (iii) The earliest marine deposits along the coastline of South America and Africa are of the Jurassic age. This suggests that the ocean did not exist prior to that time.
Tillite
  • It is the sedimentary rock formed out of deposits of glaciers. The Gondwana system of sediments from India is known to have its counterparts in six different landmasses of the Southern Hemisphere.
  • At the base, the system has thick tillite indicating extensive and prolonged glaciation. Counterparts of this succession are found in Africa, Falkland Island, Madagascar, Antarctica and Australia besides India.
  • The overall resemblance of the Gondwana type sediments clearly demonstrates that these landmasses had remarkably similar histories.
  • The glacial tillite provides unambiguous evidence of paleoclimates and also of drifting of continents.
Placer Deposits
  • The occurrence of rich placer deposits of gold in the Ghana coast and the absolute absence of source rock in the region is an amazing fact.
  • The gold-bearing veins are in Brazil and it is obvious that the gold deposits of Ghana are derived from the Brazil plateau when the two continents lay side by side.
Distribution of Fossils
  • When identical species of plants and animals adapted to living on land or in freshwater are found on either side of the marine barriers, a problem arises regarding accounting for such distribution.
  • The observations that Lemurs occur in India, Madagascar, and Africa led some to consider a contiguous landmass “Lemuria” linking these three landmasses. Mesosaurus was a small reptile adapted to shallow brackish water.
  • The skeletons of these are found only in two localities: the Southern Cape province of South Africa and Iraver formations of Brazil.
  • The two localities presently are 4,800 km apart with an ocean in between them.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Which of the following evidences support the Continental Drift Theory?...
Evidence supporting Continental Drift Theory

There are several evidences that support the Continental Drift Theory, which proposes that the continents were once joined together in a single landmass and have since moved apart. These evidences include:

1. Matching of Africa and South America continents
The coastlines of Africa and South America appear to fit together like puzzle pieces. This suggests that the two continents were once connected and have since moved apart.

2. Rocks of the same age across the oceans
Rocks of the same age and type are found on opposite sides of the oceans. For example, rocks found on the east coast of South America match those found on the west coast of Africa. This suggests that the two continents were once connected and have since moved apart.

3. Absences of source rock in the region of rich placer deposits
Rich placer deposits are found in areas that do not have a source rock nearby. For example, gold deposits are found in the rivers of West Africa, but there is no nearby source rock. This suggests that the placer deposits were once part of a larger landmass that has since moved apart.

4. Distribution of fossils
Fossils of the same species are found on opposite sides of the oceans. For example, the same dinosaur fossils have been found in South America and Africa. This suggests that the two continents were once connected and have since moved apart.

Conclusion
All of these evidences suggest that the continents were once joined together in a single landmass and have since moved apart. This supports the Continental Drift Theory.
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Which of the following evidences support the Continental Drift Theory?1. Matching of Africa and South America continents.2. Rocks of the same age across the oceans3. Absences of source rock in the region of rich placer deposits4. Distribution of fossilsSelect the correct answer using the code given below:a)3 and 4 onlyb)2 and 4 onlyc)1 and 3 onlyd)1, 2, 3 and 4Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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