Consider the ages of the islands listed below and the positions of each island on the map, along with what you have read about plate tectonics and hotspots.

- Big Island: 0 years old (active)
- Maui: 1.1 million years old
- Kauai: 4.7 million years old
- Nihoa: 7.2 million years old

In what general direction is the Pacific Plate moving?

A. Northwest
B. Southeast
C. Southwest
D. Northeast

Considering the ages and positions of the Hawaiian islands like the Big Island, Maui, Kauai, and Nihoa, it can be inferred that the Pacific Plate is moving in the northwest direction. This aligns with the process of plate tectonics and the formation of islands over hotspots.

Explanation:

The ages of the islands mentioned suggest a sequence that is typically indicative of a hot spot trail. A hot spot is a place where magma rises from the deep within the Earth and creates volcanic activity. As a tectonic plate moves over this spot, a chain of islands can form. Given the ages and positional relationship of these islands, it's clear that the youngest (and active) island is the Big Island, then Maui, followed by Kauai, and the oldest is Nihoa.

In the Pacific, such chains of islands are created as the Pacific Plate moves over a stationary hot spot in the Earth's mantle. This indicates that the Pacific Plate is moving in the northwest direction, considering the ages and the positions of the islands. Therefore, the correct answer is a. northwest.

Learn more about the Pacific Plate movement here:

https://brainly.com/question/471818

#SPJ2

pdeeksha639 pdeeksha639 · Answer 2 · 2025-01-22T09:35:35-05:00

Final answer:

The Pacific Plate is moving in a northwestern direction.

Explanation:

The movement of tectonic plates is driven by convection currents in the Earth's mantle. The Pacific Plate is one of the major tectonic plates and it is an oceanic plate that covers a large portion of the Pacific Ocean floor. The Pacific Plate is moving in a northwestern direction.

This movement is responsible for the formation of the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian Islands are a result of volcanic activity at a hotspot in the middle of the Pacific Plate. As the plate moves over the hotspot, new volcanic islands are formed. The age of the islands increases as you move in a northwestern direction. The Big Island is the youngest and is located in the southeast, while Nihoa is the oldest and is located in the northwest.

Learn more about direction of movement of the pacific plate here:

https://brainly.com/question/32147709

#SPJ14