EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Antarctica and Africa See what the community says and unlock a badge.

Detailed explanation-2: -The east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa seem to fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and Wegener discovered their rock layers “fit” just as clearly. South America and Africa were not the only continents with similar geology.

Detailed explanation-3: -Evidence suggested that Pangaea began to break up about 200 million years ago. By 160 million years ago, continents had begun to drift to their present locations. Today’s coastlines of South America and Africa are a match because these two continents were once joined together. Evidence supported the hypothesis.

Detailed explanation-4: -To him, the presence of identical fossil species along the coastal parts of Africa and South America was the most compelling evidence that the two continents were once joined.

Detailed explanation-5: -The two continents are moving away from each other at the rate of about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) per year. Rift valleys are sites where a continental landmass is ripping itself apart. Africa, for example, will eventually split along the Great Rift Valley system.