In the past they said all the continents were suck together well why are they apart now?

Question

I mean its was only one continent and then it broke up well how and why did the earth do that?

Answer 1

this one big contenent that you speak of is called "Pangaea"
please read about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangaea

plate tectonics.
(incase you are interested in learning something)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonics

earthquakes.

volcanos.

"There were three major phases in the break-up of Pangaea. The first phase began in the Early-Middle Jurassic, when Pangaea created a rift from the Tethys Ocean from the east and the Pacific from the west. The rifting took place between North America and Africa, the rift produced multiple failed rifts. The rift resulted in a new ocean, the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlantic Ocean did not open uniformly; rifting began in the North-Central Atlantic. The South Atlantic did not open until the Cretaceous. Laurasia started to rotate clockwise and moved northward with North America to the north, and Eurasia to the south. The clockwise motion of Laurasia also led to the closing of the Tethys Ocean. Meanwhile, in the other side of Africa, new rifts were also forming along the adjacent margins of east Africa, Antarctica, and Madagascar that would lead to the formation of the Southwest Indian Ocean that would also open up in the Cretaceous."


many things.

the earth is always changing. nothing ever stays the same. it might look the same from the time you are born, to the time you die, but in the grand scheme of things, this is a very small amount of time.

Answer 2

Super continents have formed and broken apart several times in Earth's history. Google the "Wilson Cycle" to get details on the particulars. It all has to do with the Theory of Plate Tectonics.

Answer 3

Even before Pangaea, the earths continents were broken up. When they collided, the supercontinent formed along with mountains due to the collision. These mountains eventually eroded and allowed the formation of rifts (like the one in eastern Africa). Rifting forms oceans (again, Africa will eventually split into two) and the continental plates started to drift towards their current position. The plates will collide again sometimes in the distant future.

Answer 4

They moved apart because of convection currents in the mantle. The convection currents in the mantle causes the tectonic plates to move. For instance the mid atlantic ridge was formed by the two plates moving apart. ( a ridge is formed when two plates move apart and magma atataches itself onto the existing plates...) When all the continents were stuck together they were known as Pangea. But after years and years they eventually move apart from each other.

hope i helped u. :)

Answer 5

The continental plates just shifted, they were all touching each other before. They're always moving, extremely slowly though. This didn't happen over the weekend, this is like millions of years we're talking about