Question

Consider the following statements:

1. At a transform boundary, plates slide past each other.

2. At these boundaries, new plates are neither created nor destroyed.

3. The San Andreas Fault Zone is a convergent boundary.

Choose the correct option:

• A. 1 and 2 are correct
• B. 2 and 3 are correct
• C. 1 and 3 are correct
• D. All are correct

Answer 1

Answer:

A. 1 and 2 are correct

Plate Tectonics: Transform Boundaries

• Transform boundaries are one of the three types of tectonic plate boundaries. At these boundaries, the Earth's lithospheric plates slide horizontally past each other.
• A key characteristic of transform boundaries is that they are conservative boundaries. This means that crust is neither created nor destroyed, unlike divergent (constructive) or convergent (destructive) boundaries.
• The movement along transform faults can be jerky, leading to the buildup and release of stress, which often results in significant earthquakes.
• The San Andreas Fault Zone in California is a prime example of a transform boundary. It marks the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. Therefore, statement 3, which incorrectly identifies it as a convergent boundary, is false.
• Examples of transform faults include the San Andreas Fault, the North Anatolian Fault (Turkey), and the Alpine Fault (New Zealand).