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Earth's System: Earth’s Layers and Plate Tectonics
Magnetic Polarity Evidence for Continental Drift
Description
Magnetic Polarity Evidence for Continental Drift
One of the most substantial pieces of evidence supporting continental drift and plate tectonics comes from Earth’s magnetic field. Over millions of years, Earth’s magnetic polarity has reversed many times, meaning the north and south magnetic poles have switched places. When...
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Transcript
After Alfred Wegener proposed continental drift, scientists struggled to explain how continents moved.
A key breakthrough came from studying Earth's magnetic field, which extends from pole to pole and affects iron-rich minerals like magnetite.
As lava cools, tiny magnetite crystals within the rock align with Earth's magnetic field, ...
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