Q45. Which of the following are the evidences of the phenomenon of continental drift?
I. The belt of ancient rocks from Brazil coast matches with those from Western Africa.
II. The gold deposits of Ghana are derived from the Brazil plateau when the two continents lay side by side.
III. The Gondwana system of sediments from India is known to have its counterparts in six different landmasses of the Southern Hemisphere.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

All three statements provide evidence supporting the theory of continental drift, as proposed by Alfred Wegener. I. The matching of ancient rock belts: Geological similarities, particularly the 2-billion-year-old rock formations along the Brazilian coast and Western Africa, strongly suggest that these landmasses were once contiguous.

II. Placer gold deposits: The presence of rich placer gold deposits in the Ghana coast, without a clear source rock in the immediate vicinity, is explained by the theory that these deposits originated from gold-bearing veins in the Brazil plateau when South America and Africa were joined.

III. Gondwana system of sediments: The widespread occurrence of the Gondwana system of sediments, including thick tillite (glacial deposits), across India, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and South America, indicates a shared geological history and extensive glaciation when these landmasses were part of the supercontinent Gondwana.

These pieces of evidence collectively support the idea that continents have moved over geological time. Understanding fundamental geological theories like continental drift is essential for UPSC Geography.