During the nineteenth century, geologists overwhelmingly adhered to "contraction theory," which posited that the Earth was gradually cooling and shrinking, causing its crust to wrinkle and form mountain ranges. However, throughout the early twentieth century, evidence accumulated regarding continental drift, seafloor spreading, and subduction zones that contraction theory could not explain. By the 1960s, this culminated in the near-universal acceptance of Plate Tectonics, which viewed the Earth’s lithosphere as a system of moving plates. This fundamentally changed how geologists conducted research, interpreted fossils, and understood seismic activity.
Using the text above, explain what is meant by a paradigm shift.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Scientific processes with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 689 questions, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
