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Chapter 2: Problem 32

The rate of continental drift is on the order of \(10.0 \mathrm{~mm} / \mathrm{yr}\). Approximately how long did it take North America and Europe to reach their current separation of about \(3000 \mathrm{mi}\) ?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: It took approximately 482,803,200 years for North America and Europe to drift apart to their current separation distance of about 3000 miles.

Step by step solution

01

Convert rate of continental drift to meters/year

We are given the rate of continental drift in mm/year. To work with the separation of the continents more easily, we'll convert the rate to meters/year: \(10.0 \mathrm{~mm}/\mathrm{yr} \times \frac{1 \mathrm{~m}}{1000 \mathrm{~mm}} = 0.010 \mathrm{~m}/\mathrm{yr}\)
02

Convert 3000 miles to meters

We need the separation distance in the same units as the drift rate (meters). Given that 1 mile = 1609.34 meters, we can convert the given distance of 3000 miles to meters: \(3000 \mathrm{~mi} \times \frac{1609.34 \mathrm{~m}}{1 \mathrm{~mi}} = 4828032 \mathrm{~m}\)
03

Calculate the time taken for the continents to drift apart

Now that we have the rate of continental drift and the separation distance in the same units, we can use the formula: Time (in years) = Separation Distance (in meters) / Rate of Drift (in meters/year) \(t = \frac{4828032 \mathrm{~m}}{0.010 \mathrm{~m}/\mathrm{yr}}\) \(t = 482803200 \mathrm{~yr}\) So, it took approximately 482,803,200 years for North America and Europe to reach their current separation of about 3000 miles.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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