Question

What happened to the continents that made up Pangaea after it started to break up?

Short answer

Pangaea split into Laurasia and Gondwana, further breaking into today's continents.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Pangaea

Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. It included most of the Earth's terrestrial regions now known as continents.

Beginning of Breakup

Around 200 million years ago, tectonic forces began to break Pangaea apart due to the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. This was during the Jurassic period.

Formation of Laurasia and Gondwana

As Pangaea split, it divided into two major landmasses: Laurasia in the northern hemisphere and Gondwana in the southern hemisphere.

Further Fragmentation

Over millions of years, Laurasia and Gondwana continued to break apart into smaller continents, forming the continental configurations we recognize today.

Current Configuration

This gradual movement and separation led to the formation of the continents: North America, South America, Africa, Eurasia, Antarctica, and Australia.

Key concepts

Continental Drift

The concept of continental drift is fundamental to understanding how the modern continents came to be. Initially proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century, continental drift suggests that the Earth's continents have not always been where they are now—tantalizing, isn't it? Instead, they have slowly moved to their current locations over millions of years. This movement is not due to the continents floating islands. Rather, they are on the move due to the shifting of tectonic plates beneath them. This gradual separation and movement are thought to have taken immense amounts of geological time.
Continental drift explains a lot about Earth's geological activity and the distribution of fossils, mountains, and other geological features you see today. Wegener's idea was groundbreaking because it connected the puzzle pieces of Earth's surface in a way no one had done before, providing clues about the Earth’s ever-changing nature.

Tectonic Plates

The Earth's outer shell is composed of tectonic plates, which are large slabs of rock floating on the more fluid layer of the upper mantle. These plates are constantly moving, albeit very slowly, averaging up to a few centimeters per year. This seemingly minute movement adds up over millions of years, significantly altering the geography of the planet.
The motion of tectonic plates is driven by the heat from the Earth's interior. This heat creates convection currents within the mantle, causing the plates to move, collide, pull apart, or slide past one another. It's this movement that causes earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even the formation of mountain ranges and ocean basins.
The interaction of these plates can happen in several ways:

• Convergent boundaries, where plates move toward each other, forming mountains or causing subduction.
• Divergent boundaries, where plates move apart, allowing magma to create new crust.
• Transform boundaries, where plates slide past each other, often causing earthquakes.

Laurasia and Gondwana

When Pangaea began to break apart, it first split into two larger landmasses known as Laurasia and Gondwana. This monumental event marked a significant stage in Earth's geological history. Laurasia was situated in the northern hemisphere and eventually split into what we know today as North America, Europe, and Asia (excluding Arabia and the Indian subcontinent). Gondwana encompassed the southern regions, including present-day South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent.
This split was caused by tectonic forces and the continued separation of Earth's tectonic plates. That gradual fragmentation resulted in the movement and position of today's continents. Pangaea's breakup into Laurasia and Gondwana explains many geological and biological phenomena observed across these once-connected regions. For example, similar fossil species found on now-distant continents provide evidence of these historical connections.

Jurassic Period

The Jurassic period, famous for its dinosaurs, was a time of significant terrestrial changes, including the breakup of Pangaea. Spanning from about 201 to 145 million years ago, this era was named after the Jura Mountains between France and Switzerland, where rocks from this period were first studied.
During the Jurassic, climatic conditions were generally warm and humid, favoring the lush vegetation that supported massive dinosaur populations. The breakup of Pangaea began earnestly during this period, facilitated by the continuous movement of tectonic plates.
As the massive supercontinent separated, it created new coastlines and ocean basins, which led to the diversification of marine and terrestrial life. The process also influenced the Earth's climate by altering ocean currents and atmospheric circulation, promoting the conditions that led to such a rich array of life during this period.

Supercontinent

A supercontinent is a large landmass that consists of all, or nearly all, of Earth's continental blocks. Pangaea was the last major supercontinent, and it played a big role in Earth's geological history. Starting over 300 million years ago, it housed nearly all of Earth's land. However, due to tectonic plate movement, it began fragmenting around 200 million years ago.
Supercontinents like Pangaea are not a new or rare occurrence. They have formed and dispersed multiple times over Earth's geological history—a cycle that geologists refer to as the "supercontinent cycle." This cycle suggests that supercontinents form roughly every 300 to 500 million years due to tectonic activities.
The formation and breakup of supercontinents have profound impacts on global climate, sea levels, and biodiversity. Each time a supercontinent forms, it brings continents together, altering the planet's biogeography and causing widespread environmental and evolutionary changes. Understanding supercontinents helps scientists piece together Earth's dynamic history and evolution.