Concept explainers
Introduction:
From the time the earth has formed until today several geographical changes took place. One such change is the movement of landmasses, changing their positions, shapes and associating with other landmasses. Shifting of landmasses is one of the reasons for the dramatic changes that have occurred on the earth’s surface. This phenomenon had a great impact on the distribution of the organisms across the continents and on the evolution, since 4 or 3.5 billion years ago.
Answer to Problem 1TY
The correct answer is option (c) continental drift.
Explanation of Solution
Explanation/justification for the correct answer:
Option (c) continental drift. As the earth cooled, landmasses formed that was surrounded by bodies of water. This produces two different environments: terrestrial and aquatic. Furthermore, over the course of billions of years, earth’s major landmasses, known as continents, have shifted their positions, changed their shapes, and separated from each other. This phenomenon is called as continental drift. So, the correct answer is option (c).
Explanation for incorrect answer:
Option (a) glaciation. Glaciation is the process or state of being covered by glaciers or ice sheets. So, this is an incorrect option.
Option (b) Pangaea. Pangaea is a hypothetical supercontinent that included all current land masses, believed to have been in existence before the continents broke apart during the Triassic and Jurassic Periods. So, this is an incorrect answer.
Option (d) biogeography.Biogeography is the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals. So, this is an incorrect answer.
Option (e) geological scale.The geologic time scale (GTS) is a system of chronological dating that relates geological layers of rock to time. It is used by Earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships of events that have occurred during Earth's history. So, this is an incorrect answer.
Continental drift is the process of the gradual movement of the continents across the earth's surface through geological time. Hence, the correct answer is option (c) continental drift.
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Chapter 22 Solutions
Principles of Biology
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