How Fast Do Plates Move?
ES0810  Age of Hawaiian volcanoes

Hawaii, also called the Big Island, is the only Hawaiian island with active volcanoes today. The other islands' volcanoes are dormant or extinct, and weathering and erosion are slowly breaking the islands down. The age of volcanic rocks on each island tells how long ago its volcanoes were active.

  !   Examine the ages of volcanic rocks on each island. Consider how the age of each island and its distance from Hawaii are related, and how this pattern may have formed.

Jennifer Loomis, TERC
Ages of volcanic rocks on Hawaiian Islands

2. What pattern do you see between age of rocks and location?

3. How do you think the chain of islands might have formed? Explain your idea. 



	

 	

		
			
	

	
	

		 
		 	 Step:
		 		
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 1 
						
		           
			     
				   2
					
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 3 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 4 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 5 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 6 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 7 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 8