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Question
What were the forces suggested by Wegener for the movement of the continents?
Solution
Wegener suggested that the movement responsible for the drifting of the continents was caused by two forces.
- Pole-fleeing force and
- Tidal force
The polar-fleeing force relates to the rotation of the earth. The earth is not a perfect sphere; it has a bulge at the equator. This bulge is due to the rotation of the earth.
The tidal force is due to the attraction of the moon and the sun that develops tides in oceanic waters. Wegener believed that these forces would become effective when applied over many million years.
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