2006-07-05 01:58:35 · 9 answers · asked by human_being 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
Without continental drift, the crust of the earth would be more fragile (like an egg shell) and there would be no flexibility (movement) to accommodate the expanding and contracting of the earth due to heating, cooling, and movement ion space.
2006-07-05 02:01:34 · answer #1 · answered by Sandy M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Continental rift exist since the early earth history. It has several cycles of Pangea formation. But if we stop at the last one to answer your question:
We will have an earth with just a few volcanoes. The Hawaiian volcano would be probably active, but it will a single huge volcano, not a chain of islands and it will be as tall as the Himalayas. The Himalayas and many other mountain chains would have never formed. The earth would be flatter, the marsupials in Australia would have all disappear (No kangaroos). The weather would be hotter than it is today. It is hard to know if men would have evolved at all.
2006-07-05 06:20:47 · answer #2 · answered by Scientist13905 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those of us who have a passing familiarity with plate tectonics get used to thinking of Pangaea as the beginning. In fact, several land masses collided to form Pangaea, forming some of the earlier ranges of the Appalachian mountains, among others.
There are a few places where continental rifts are incomplete or failed. One of them is the New Madrid Fault near the Mississippi River between Missouri and Tennessee. Another is the famous Rift Valley of Ethiopia and Kenya where the continent of Africa has been pulling apart for millions of years.
2006-07-05 04:39:51 · answer #3 · answered by Beckee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the Continental Drift theory is a result of the convection of magma under the mantle. it is a natural occurrence. if all the magma were to cool and the convection action would then stop the cracks between plates would simply fill in, mountains would stop growing and the crust would become a single outer shell, but because that ain't gonna happen anytime soon sit back and enjoy the ride.
2006-07-11 08:57:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
continental drift creates mountains, plains, and volcanoes which makes the continents, if this didn't happen they'd either erode away or the continents would have never formed in the first place
2006-07-05 16:52:28 · answer #5 · answered by CLBH 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there would be no mountains so the whole surface would be covered in a mile of water
2006-07-05 03:12:14 · answer #6 · answered by mfem.geo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Less mountains to climb!
2006-07-05 02:07:23 · answer #7 · answered by Whisper4691 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is really no way to answer this correctly.
2006-07-05 03:00:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We would be much closer! ;-))
2006-07-05 02:01:43 · answer #9 · answered by gee1960 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋