A geologist finds a chain of volcanic islands with decreasing ages toward one end. What is the best conclusion?

A hotspot can stay relatively fixed while a tectonic plate moves over it. Volcanoes form above the hotspot and then move away as the plate continues moving, so the islands get progressively older in one direction and younger toward the active hotspot. This supports the conclusion that a tectonic plate moved over a hotspot.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.