Volcanic islands are formed through a process known as hotspot volcanism. Hotspots are areas of intense volcanic activity caused by a mantle plume rising from deep within the Earth's mantle. As tectonic plates move over the hotspot, magma rises to the surface, creating volcanic eruptions. The Hawaiian Islands are a classic example of volcanic islands formed by hotspot volcanism. The Pacific Plate is moving northwest over the Hawaiian hotspot, creating a chain of islands that increases in age from the southeast to the northwest. The Big Island of Hawaii, the youngest island in the chain, is currently over the hotspot and is still actively erupting. As the volcanic islands move away from the hotspot, they become less active and eventually erode, leading to the formation of atolls or seamounts. This process can be seen in the Emperor Seamounts, a chain of underwater mountains northwest of Hawaii that were once active volcanoes but have since eroded and become submerged. Understanding the formation of volcanic islands helps geographers and geologists study the dynamic processes of Earth's crust and how landforms change over time. It also provides insights into the unique ecosystems that develop on these isolated islands.