Pangaea's separation occurred through continental drift.
The Breakup of Pangaea
The single landmass known as Pangaea, existed as a true continent surrounded by water, according to the reference provided. It did not remain that way, however.
Continental Drift: The Mechanism
- The process that separated Pangaea into the continents we recognize today is called continental drift.
- This process involves the slow movement of tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface.
- These plates, which carry the continents, have shifted over millions of years, causing Pangaea to break apart.
- The reference provided explicitly states the separation occurred through continental drift.
Understanding Tectonic Plates
The provided reference mentioned that most of us now understand that there are plates shifting under the land we stand on. It is these tectonic plates that facilitate the continental drift.
Summary
The theory that explains the separation of the continents from Pangaea is continental drift, a process driven by the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. This process is widely accepted by the scientific community.
