Author Question: How do hot spots, which are not explained by plate tectonics, help to confirm that lithospheric ... (Read 69 times)

kellyjaisingh · **on:** Jul 16, 2018

How do hot spots, which are not explained by plate tectonics, help to confirm that lithospheric plates are moving?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

How old is Earth?

What will be an ideal response?

nickk12214 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 16, 2018

Answer to Question 1

These regions of intense volcanic activity seem to be located where mantle rises upward from beneath the lithosphere. Movement of lithospheric plates across these areas of rising mantle leaves behind tracks on the plate. As the plate moves over the hot spot, an active volcano forms. As the lithosphere passes, the volcano moves off of the hot spot and becomes extinct while a new volcano forms above at the hot-spot location.

Answer to Question 2

Geochemical studies of rocks show that Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old.