Question

1. explain how a chain of volcanoes is formed by a hot spot. use the \conveyor belt\ analogy to help explain your answer.
2. why is the big island of hawaii still volcanically active, while the older hawaiian islands are not?
3. how does the yellowstone hot spot show that hot spots can also occur beneath continents? give one example of evidence that yellowstone is still active.
4. list two reasons why hot spots are important for scientists studying earth.
5. describe one way hot spots can create major land features on earth. provide a specific example.

Explanation:

Question 5 (Why is the Big Island of Hawai'i still volcanically active, while the older Hawaiian Islands are not?)

The Hawaiian Islands form due to a hot spot (a stationary mantle plume) and the Pacific tectonic plate moving over it (like a conveyor belt). The Big Island is currently over the hot spot, so mantle material rises, melts, and causes volcanic activity. Older islands (like Maui, Oahu) have moved away from the hot spot as the plate shifted, so the supply of magma from the hot spot to them stopped, ending their volcanic activity.

Answer:

The Big Island of Hawai'i is still volcanically active because it is currently positioned over the Hawaiian hot spot (a stationary mantle plume that supplies magma). The older Hawaiian Islands are no longer over this hot spot—they moved away as the Pacific tectonic plate drifted (like a "conveyor belt" moving the plate and islands), so the supply of magma to them from the hot spot ceased, stopping their volcanic activity.