Final answer:
The creation of the Hawaiian island chain is not a stage of continental drift; it results from volcanic activity over a hot spot rather than the movement of tectonic plates. Therefore, the correct answer is E. creation of the Hawaiian island chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking which option is not a stage of continental drift. The concept of continental drift, first proposed by German meteorologist and astronomer Alfred Wegener, suggests that the continents were once part of a supercontinent named Pangea and have since drifted apart. Wegener used evidence such as the jigsaw fit of continents, fossil correlations, and geological formations across continents to support his hypothesis.
Of the options given, earthquakes, continental drift, mountain building, and volcanic eruptions are all related to tectonic activity and can be associated with the movement and collision of tectonic plates. However, the creation of the Hawaiian island chain is a resultant of volcanic activity over a hot spot, which is related to plate tectonics but is not a stage of continental drift itself.
The correct answer is E. creation of the Hawaiian island chain, as it is not one of the stages of continental drift, but rather a phenomenon resulting from volcanic activity over a stationary hot spot in the Earth's mantle.