Earth Science Lab
Name:
Block:
Date:
ORIGINS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
BACKGROUND INFO:
The Hawaiian Islands were created as the Pacific Plate traveled
over a hot spot within the mantle. A mantle plume is believed to be at the center
of vertically rising convection cells, deep below the Earth’s surface. Their effect
on the surface of the Earth is a hot spot which is the site of volcanic activity.
OBJECTIVE: You will compare the age of the Hawaiian Islands and seamounts and be able to
infer the location of the hot spot and the direction and rate of movement of the
Pacific Plate.
PART 1: GRAPHING THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS & SEAMOUNTS
1. Using the information in TABLE 1 below, plot a graph that compares the age of the
Hawaiian Islands and seamounts to their longitude.
2. Next to each point- LABEL THE NAME OF THE ISLAND!
3. Connect the points with a smooth line.
4. Estimate the age of Nihau and plot its position on the graph.
TABLE 1:
Island or Reef
Approximate Age
Longitude
(in millions of years)
Hawaii
0.5
155 30’ W
Kanum
39
170 E
Kauai
4.7
158 30’ W
Maui
1.1
156 15’ W
Midway
18
177 30’ W
Molokai
1.6
157 W
Necker
10.1
164 30’ W
Nihau
no data provided
162 W
Oahu
2.5
158 W
Pearl
20.1
176 W
Yuruaku
42.3
168 30’ E
Age in millions of years
AGE OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS & SEAMOUNTS
Longitude
PART 2: CALCULATING AGE
1. Using the information from TABLE 1, plot the ages of the following islands on the map
of the Hawaiian Islands below: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Hawaii (at Kilauea
Volcano).
2. Using the map scale, calculate the distance from each island to Kilauea Volcano by
measuring from the center of each volcanic peak at the end of the long pointer line.
Using the map scale, determine the actual distance in kilometers. Record in TABLE 2.
3. Convert the actual distance in kilometers to centimeters and record in TABLE 2.
4. Using the distance and approximate age (in millions of years), calculate the average
rate of movement for each island in centimeters per year (cm/yr).
TABLE 2:
Island
Kauai
Oahu
Molokai
Maui
Measured
distance
(cm)
Actual
distance
(km)
Actual
distance
(cm)
Approx. Age
in years
Average
Rate
(cm/yr)
PART 3: ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
1. Referring to TABLE 1, which island is the youngest?
The oldest?
2. Referring to your graph and the map of Hawaii, what is the relationship between the
ages of the islands and their longitude?
3. Referring to your graph, which island does not seem to fit the pattern of the others?
4. What inference can you make about the relationship between island (or seamount) size
and increase in distance west of Kilauea?
5. What is the reason for the relationship between the distance from Kilauea and the island
size that was identified in question 4?
6. Predict where the next volcanic Hawaiian island will form.
7. Based on PART 2, describe the change in the rate of movement of the Pacific Plate
during the last 4.7 million years.
8. In which direction is the Pacific Plate moving?
9. What would be the shape of a line drawn along the Hawaiian Island chain and
continued through the Emperor Seamount chain? (Refer to picture on Promethean
board.)
10. From the pattern of the line identified in question 11, what could be inferred about the
direction the Pacific Plate has moved?
CONCLUSION: Describe how the Hawaiian Islands (and Emperor Seamounts) have formed
over time.