Continental Drift: The plates drift about on a hot molten rock (the mantle). Proposed by Alfred Wegner in 1915.
Problem - there was no mechanism - driving force - in this theory that explained why the plates moved. Also didn't explain how or why mountain ranges form. This theory was never accepted as is.
Plate tectonics: The continental and oceanic plates are moved by convection currents within the Earth's mantle, driving some plates apart (eg. the North American and European plates) and causing others to collide (e.g. Pacific Plate and South America). Theory proposed (but inspired by Wegner) by Arthur Holmes in 1929 and provided a mechanism for plate movement of the Earth's crust. This theory is still accepted today - although still being refined.
2007-06-24 09:32:26
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answer #1
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answered by Cybamuse 2
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Continental Drift And Plate Tectonics
2016-11-05 21:45:15
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answer #2
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answered by barn 4
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This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Difference between T.of Continental Drift and T.of Plate Tectonics?
Can someone explain to me the major differences between the two theories?
2015-08-07 01:49:26
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/32Mnt
Plate tectonics were the main cause of continental drift. But plate tectonics is magma coming up from the ocean and causung plates to move1 Continental drift was when the world used to be in one big land mass called pangea! Then it drifted apart and made up all difrent land masses!
2016-03-28 23:11:57
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answer #4
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answered by ? 4
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The difference is that the Theory of Continental Drift just reported facts, but had no explanation as to why. Without an explanation as to why continents drifted lead to much criticism of the theory. The Theory of Seafloor Spreading and Plate Tectonics introduced the mechanism of Mantle Convection as to the reason why the seafloors spread and the continents moved (drifted). Although there is some disagreement about this theory, it has revolutionized Geology.
2007-06-24 09:33:18
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answer #5
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answered by Amphibolite 7
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continental drift: The movement, formation, or re-formation of continents described by the theory of plate tectonics.
plate tectonics: A theory that explains the global distribution of geological phenomena such as seismicity, volcanism, continental drift, and mountain building in terms of the formation, destruction, movement, and interaction of the earth's lithospheric plates.
You NEED Plate tectonics to make the continents move. And the continents move on plates in the lithosphere. Plates move from the convection current (asthenosphere), which is caused/heated by the earth's core.
2007-06-24 08:46:52
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answer #6
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answered by Sarah R :] 3
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2015-08-04 23:21:59
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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