Answer :
Final answer:
To determine the rate of motion for the Pacific plate between Kauai and Nihoa, we must divide the distance in centimeters by 2.5 million years. Specific distance is required to calculate the cm/year speed of the plate.
Explanation:
To calculate how fast the Pacific plate was moving between the formation of Kauai and Nihoa, we need to use the following formula:
Plate speed (cm/year) = Distance between islands (cm) / Time difference (years)
Firstly, the distance between Kauai and Nihoa must be known. Unfortunately, with the information provided, we cannot determine this distance directly. However, for the purpose of illustration and assuming we have that distance in centimeters, let’s denote that distance as D. For the time difference, we subtract the age of Kauai (7.2 million years ago) from the age of Nihoa (4.7 million years ago).
Time difference = 7.2 million years ago - 4.7 million years ago = 2.5 million years
2.5 million years is equivalent to 2.5 x 106 years. Once we have both the distance D and the time difference, we divide the distance by the number of years to get the speed:
Plate speed (cm/year) = D / (2.5 x 106 years)
Please note: To provide an exact answer, the specific distance D in centimeters between Kauai and Nihoa is needed.
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