What is the common term for the large landmass of Pangaea?

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The term "supercontinent" is commonly used to describe Pangaea because it refers to a massive landmass that consists of multiple continents joined together. Pangaea existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, and it was the most recent supercontinent to have existed on Earth. The concept of a supercontinent highlights the geological processes of plate tectonics, where continental plates can converge and create a larger contiguous landmass.

In contrast, a "continent" refers to any of the seven large landmasses on Earth, but does not specifically denote the unique configuration of multiple continents fused together as seen in Pangaea. An "archipelago" describes a group of islands, which is not applicable to Pangaea since it is characterized by a single uninterrupted landmass. Similarly, an "island" refers to a smaller landmass surrounded by water, which is quite different from the vast expanse represented by around 200 million years ago with Pangaea's supercontinental formation. Therefore, the correct term to encapsulate the idea of Pangaea is indeed supercontinent.

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