Answer
a. The observation that led Alfred Wegener to develop his continental drift hypothesis was the remarkable fit of the continental coastlines of South America and Africa. He noticed that the eastern coastlines of South America and Africa appeared to fit together like puzzle pieces, suggesting that they were once connected.
b. The majority of the scientific community rejected the continental drift hypothesis for several reasons. Firstly, Wegener was unable to provide a satisfactory mechanism to explain how the continents moved. Additionally, the concept of continents drifting through solid oceanic crust seemed implausible to many geologists at the time. Furthermore, Wegener's ideas challenged the prevailing belief in the fixity of continents and the dominance of vertical crustal movements, which made it difficult for the scientific community to accept his hypothesis.
c. Yes, Wegener followed the basic principles of scientific inquiry. He made careful observations of the fit of continents, gathered evidence from various fields such as geology, paleontology, and climatology to support his hypothesis, and proposed a testable explanation for the phenomenon he observed. Wegener's work demonstrated curiosity, creativity, and an effort to gather and analyze data. However, his hypothesis lacked the comprehensive supporting evidence and a convincing mechanism, which were necessary for wider acceptance at the time.
Work Step by Step
a. The observation that led Alfred Wegener to develop his continental drift hypothesis was the remarkable fit of the continental coastlines of South America and Africa. He noticed that the eastern coastlines of South America and Africa appeared to fit together like puzzle pieces, suggesting that they were once connected.
b. The majority of the scientific community rejected the continental drift hypothesis for several reasons. Firstly, Wegener was unable to provide a satisfactory mechanism to explain how the continents moved. Additionally, the concept of continents drifting through solid oceanic crust seemed implausible to many geologists at the time. Furthermore, Wegener's ideas challenged the prevailing belief in the fixity of continents and the dominance of vertical crustal movements, which made it difficult for the scientific community to accept his hypothesis.
c. Yes, Wegener followed the basic principles of scientific inquiry. He made careful observations of the fit of continents, gathered evidence from various fields such as geology, paleontology, and climatology to support his hypothesis, and proposed a testable explanation for the phenomenon he observed. Wegener's work demonstrated curiosity, creativity, and an effort to gather and analyze data. However, his hypothesis lacked the comprehensive supporting evidence and a convincing mechanism, which were necessary for wider acceptance at the time.
