The Hawaiian Islands form a chain stretching northwest across the Pacific, with the youngest islands at the southeastern end and progressively older, more eroded islands to the northwest. Each island formed as the Pacific tectonic plate moved across a relatively stationary plume of magma rising from deep within the Earth. Beyond the visible chain, a series of submerged seamounts extends toward Russia, recording older portions of the same plume.
Which conclusion most logically follows from the passage?
- A
The Hawaiian Islands all formed simultaneously
- B
Hawaiian volcanism has now ceased entirely
- Ccheck_circle
The Pacific plate has been moving in a consistent direction over geologically long timescales
- D
Magma plumes move rapidly across the ocean floor
Explanation
Sequential ages along the chain plus the seamount continuation imply consistent plate movement, supporting B. A and C contradict the passage; D contradicts the relatively stationary plume.