The Hawaiian Island volcanoes form a linear chain of islands within the Pacific Ocean because:Selected answer will be automatically saved. For keyboard navigation, press up/down arrow keys to select an answer.aThe Pacific plate is stationary over a southeast-moving hot spot plume.bThe Pacific plate is moving to the southeast over a stationary hot spot plume.cThe Pacific plate is moving to the northwest over a stationary hot spot plume.dSubduction of oceanic crust beneath the islands causes dehydration melting and Hawaiian volcanism.

The correct answer is c. The Pacific plate is moving to the northwest over a stationary hot spot plume.

Here's why:

The Hawaiian Islands were formed by volcanic activity initiated by a hot spot beneath the western half of the Pacific Plate. As the plate moves to the northwest, it carries the Hawaiian Islands with it. This movement allows new islands to form over the hot spot.

The hot spot remains stationary, meaning it doesn't move. It's the Pacific Plate that's moving over it. This is why the islands form a linear chain - each new island is formed to the northwest of the previous one as the plate moves.

So, the Pacific Plate is not stationary (which rules out option a), it's not moving to the southeast (which rules out option b), and the formation of the islands is not due to subduction (which rules out option d).