Evaluate the paleogeographic reconstruction of continental drift and plate kinematics: Statement I: During the late Paleozoic era, all major continental landmasses were united into a single supercontinent named Pangea, surrounded by a global ocean called Panthalassa. Statement II: Pangea subsequently broke apart into northern and southern supercontinents known as Gondwanaland and Laurasia, separated by the ancient Tethys Sea. Which of the following is correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statement I is correct because Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory and modern plate tectonics confirm the existence of Pangea during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. Statement II is also correct, as Pangea split into Laurasia in the north and Gondwanaland in the south, divided by the Tethys Ocean seaway. The northward drift of the Indian plate from Gondwanaland eventually led to the closure of the Tethys Sea and the formation of the Himalayas.