How does the polar wander curve for Eurasia confirm Wegener's hypothesis that the Carboniferous (300 million years ago)coal beds were originally deposited when that land mass was near the equator?
A)To restore the 300 million year paleopole to today's north magnetic pole pushes Eurasia about 40 degrees of latitude farther south than it is today.
B)To have that pole position, the 300 million year coal beds must have had a steep magnetic inclination.
C)This means that Eurasia used to sit in the middle of the north Pacific Ocean 300 million year ago where the climate is warmer.
D)300 million years ago, the equator and magnetic poles had switched positions, so Eurasia was tropical then.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The polar wander curve for Eurasia shows that to restore the 300 million year paleopole (magnetic pole) to today's north magnetic pole would require Eurasia to be pushed approximately 40 degrees of latitude farther south than it is today. This means that at that time, Eurasia was closer to the equator and supports Wegener's hypothesis that the 300 million year old coal beds were originally deposited when that land mass was near the equator. Choice B is incorrect because the steep magnetic inclination of the coal beds does not necessarily confirm the equatorial position of Eurasia at the time of their deposition. Choice C is incorrect because the polar wander curve does not suggest that Eurasia was in the middle of the north Pacific Ocean 300 million years ago, and choice D is incorrect because the switch of the equator and magnetic pole positions does not necessarily mean that Eurasia was tropical at that time.

How Does the Polar Wander Curve for Eurasia Confirm Wegener's