When Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents had changed position over time, many scientists rejected his proposal even though some of the evidence he presented was compelling. Which of the following describes the primary scientific reason many geologists originally rejected Wegener's continental drift proposal?
  1. He was trained in a different scientific discipline and was considered an amateur.
  2. His hypothesis lacked a convincing mechanism to explain what forces moved the continents.
  3. He did not defend and argue the merits of his ideas since the evidence was strong.
  4. His field work was poorly executed and lacked the rigor associated with most sciences of the day.
Explanation
Correct Response: B. The primary reason so many scientists rejected Alfred Wegener's idea of continental drift was that his idea lacked a mechanism that could cause continents to move. Without a convincing mechanism to support his hypothesis the geologic community was not ready to accept such a radical idea. Some scientists did consider Wegener an outsider in the field of geology, but because he was a respected scientist with strong evidence, he was never considered an amateur (A). Wegener frequently and enthusiastically defended his theory of continental drift (C), publishing a book on the topic and giving lectures. Though Wegener struggled to come up with a mechanism, he was an accomplished scientist and the evidence he collected was widely accepted even if his theory explaining it was not (D).
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