Pangaea

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Introduction

Pangaea(Greek Speeling) or "Pangea" is the name given to the supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras about 250 million years ago, before the process of plate tectonics seperated Pangaea into the continets we have today. The Supercontinet Theory explain the "puzzle piece fittings" of major contients today, as well as some of the major land marks through the proven scientific method. The name Pangea came from German Alfred Wegener, a cheif proponent of the Continental Drift Theory, in 1920.

The Break Up

Pangaea first began to break up 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, Mississippi River being the largest. The rift resulted in a new ocean, which today we call the Atlantic.

The Second major divsion of the Pangea continent occurred 150 million years ago, when the minor supercontinant of Gondwana divied up into the its repective modern continets: South America, Africa and India. Also, the continet of Cimmeria minor supercontinet collided with the Euraisa, causing a subuction zone called Tethyan Trench.

Also, during this time, Madagascar, Austrailia and India seperated from Antartica and moved North. While Madagascar has since locked on the African Plate, India and Austraila continue to move at about 5-6 cm a year.

To see an animation of the Pangea Break Up, click here: [1]

Refences

Inofrmation: www.wikipedia.com [2]

Animation: www.wikipedia.com [3]