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Which of the following statements about hot spots is false?

1. the Hawaiian Islands were formed by a hot spot
2. the volcanic rocks and geysers at Yellowstone National Park are products of a hot spot
3. hot spots are formed by narrowly focused plumes of rising hot mantle rock that melt the overlying
lithosphere
4. hot spots are typically stationary or move more slowly relative to the overriding tectonic plates
5. hot spots occur only at tectonic plate boundaries

User DKR
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1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The incorrect statement about hot spots is that they occur only at tectonic plate boundaries. In fact, they can occur far from plate boundaries and still create significant volcanic activity, as seen with the Hawaiian Islands and Yellowstone National Park.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement about hot spots that is false is: hot spots occur only at tectonic plate boundaries. Hot spots, such as the one beneath the Hawaiian Islands and Yellowstone National Park, can occur away from plate boundaries and are caused by mantle plumes that rise from deeper within the Earth. They can create unique and significant volcanic features wherever they occur, under both oceanic and continental crusts. Contrary to the assertion that hot spots only occur at plate boundaries, they are often found far from them, as evidenced by the volcanic chains created as the Earth's plates move over these stationary or slow-moving hot spots.

The Hawaiian Islands were indeed formed by a hot spot, and the hot spot beneath Yellowstone is responsible for the park's volcanic rocks and geysers. Hot spots are formed by narrowly focused plumes of hot mantle material that melts the overlying lithosphere, and they are typically stationary relative to the fast-moving tectonic plates. Therefore, the correct answer is that statement 5 is false.

User Carlos F
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