Answer :
Final answer:
Kauai is likely the next in the Hawaiian Island-Emperor Seamount chain to form an atoll, due to its age and advanced stage of erosion and subsidence.
Explanation:
The geologic fate of the Hawaiian Island-Emperor Seamount chain involves the transformation of volcanic islands into coral atolls over time. Considering the age of the islands and assuming conditions remain favorable for coral growth, Kauai would most likely be the next to form an atoll. Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands, approximately six million years old, and thus more likely to have experienced significant erosion and subsidence necessary for the formation of an atoll. In contrast, Hawaii's current active volcanoes, like Mauna Loa and Mount Kilauea, suggest this island is still in the shield-building phase and far from becoming an atoll. Loihi, being an underwater volcano still in the early stages of development, won't form an atoll for many millions of years.
