Which term is used for the time when all continents were joined into a single landmass?

• A. Pangaea
• B. Laurasia
• C. Gondwana
• D. Rodinia

Answer: (A)

All the continents were joined into a single landmass during the time of a supercontinent called Pangaea. Pangaea formed in the late Paleozoic era and began breaking apart in the early Mesozoic, roughly 335 million years ago, dispersing into the separate landmasses we recognize today. The name itself means “all lands,” capturing the idea that continents were fused into one giant continent at that time. Before Pangaea, there were other large landmasses like Rodinia, and after Pangaea started to split, its pieces continued to drift apart, giving rise to Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south. Fossil matches, continuous rock formations, and ancient climate clues all support this picture of continental assembly and breakup.