Formation of Hawaii Islands

The Hawaiian Islands were formed by a ​ (a)   hot spot, an upwelling plume of magma, that creates new ​ (b)   as the Pacific Plate moves over it. Hot-spot volcanism can occur in the​ (c)   of tectonic plates. That’s unlike traditional volcanism, which takes place at plate ​ (d)   . Hot-spot volcanism occurs near unusually hot parts of Earth’s mantle, the layer of the planet below the crust.

• volcanic
• islands
• middle
• boundaries

Reorder the following to show the steps in the formation of hot spot volcanic islands.

• Magma rises and reaches the crust.

• 
• Melting of magma.

• 
• Volcanoes form new islands.

• 

What happens when magma reaches the Earth's surface?

• The ocean becomes too hot in that area

• People are forced to evacuate the area.

• Lava seeps onto the land and covers the area.

• New islands are formed after it cools.

Why did more than one island form at Hawaii?

• As the Pacific plate moved slowly it produced the Hawaiian Islands, one at a time, from the same hot spot.

• The islands of Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and Maui share the same volcanic base.

• Today the Big Island of Hawaii sits over the hot spot and has the only active volcanoes in that island group.

A hot spot can be described as “A small area of the Earth’s crust where an unusually high heat flow is associated with volcanic activity."

• True

• False

The Hawaiian Islands formed primarily as a result of volcanic ​ (a)   . While most islands ​form near tectonic plate boundaries, the Hawaiian Islands are nearly 2000 miles away from the ​ (b)   plate margin. Therefore, scientists believe that the islands formed due to the presence of the Hawaiian "hot spot," a region deep in the Earth's mantle from which ​ (c)   rises. This heat produces melted rock (magma), which then pushes through the crust and​ (d)  

• activity
• nearest
• heat
• solidifies.

The majority of the Earth’s volcanoes are composite volcanoes, produced by heat and pressure where the Earth’s plate boundaries ​ (a)   The Hawaiian Islands, on the other hand, are located right in the ​ (b)   of the Pacific plate. They are called shield volcanoes, formed as the giant Pacific plate moves slowly but steadily over a hot spot of magma from deep within the Earth. The volcanoes of Hawaiʻi are going through a process of activity, dormancy, and eventually ​ (c)   as they move further and​ (d)   from this hot spot.

• collide.
• middle
• extinction
• further

Hawaiian shield volcanoes are formed by lava flowing on the ocean floor and building layer upon layer into great volcanoes.

• True

• False

The oldest Hawaiian volcanoes are located far to the northwest and the youngest island is directly over the hot spot.

• True

• False

The cycle of creation and extinction of Hawaiian volcanoes will continue.

• True

• False