Why Do Hotspots Make Island Chains?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do hotspots make island chains?

The Big Idea

Hotspots make chains of islands, like Hawaii! A hotspot is a place where hot rock rises from deep inside Earth. It melts through a plate, and a volcano grows on top of the hotspot.

Hot Rock Rises

Step one: hot rock rises. The hotspot stays in about the same place deep below. Its heat melts through the plate above and builds a volcano.

The Plate Slides

Step two: the plate slides. The plate slowly slides across the hotspot, carrying the volcano away. Once it moves off the hotspot, that volcano stops growing and slowly wears down.

A New Island

Step three: a new volcano. A fresh volcano forms over the hotspot, and then the next one drifts away too. This makes a long chain, with the oldest islands farthest from the hotspot.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! A hotspot sends up hot rock, like a blowtorch under the plate. The plate slides slowly overhead. A new volcano forms right over the hotspot. Over time, a whole island chain appears.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! The Pacific plate is moving over the Hawaiian hotspot. The Big Island of Hawaii is the youngest island. Older Hawaiian islands are smaller because they have worn away. The Pacific plate moves about 7 to 10 centimeters a year.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Hold a marker still under a sheet of paper while a friend slides the paper steadily across. Press down on the paper every few seconds to make a dot. Look at your line of dots. You made a line of islands from a hotspot! Which dot is the oldest?

Outro

A hotspot and a moving plate make island chains. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!