Transform Fault Boundary Overview

What type of motion drives transform fault boundaries?

Which of the following features is typically absent in transform fault boundaries?

What characterizes a transform fault boundary?

Which fault is an example of a continental transform fault?

How do ridge-ridge transform faults occur?

Which term describes a location where three tectonic plates meet?

What is the primary geological activity associated with transform boundaries?

What connects a mid-ocean ridge to a subduction zone?

Which feature marks the transition between offset segments of a mid-ocean ridge?

What is a unique characteristic of transform boundaries compared to other plate boundaries?

Transform Fault Boundary

Two tectonic plates slide horizontally past one another
Also known as a conservative boundary as no crust is created or destroyed
Driven by lateral shearing forces
Generally vertical, running parallel to plate motion
Little to no volcanic activity
Known for earthquakes due to stress build-up along fault lines

Types of Transform Boundaries

Oceanic Transform Faults:
- Associated with mid-ocean ridges
- Create fracture zones, linear features that mark the transition between offset segments of a mid-ocean ridge
Continental Transform Faults:
- Found on land
- Create long fault lines, example: San Andreas Fault

Ridge-Ridge Transform Fault

Breaks or offsets that occur along the intersection of two mid-ocean ridges
Happen due to variations in the spreading rates of tectonic plates
One side of a mid-ocean ridge spreading faster than the other can create a kink or offset where the two ridges meet

Ridge-Trench Transform Fault

Connects a mid-ocean ridge (plates moving apart) to a subduction zone (one plate sliding beneath another)
Acts as a transition zone between these two different types of plate boundaries

Triple Junction

Where three tectonic plates meet
At least one transform fault is present

This quiz covers the key concepts of transform fault boundaries, including their characteristics, types, and specific features like ridge-ridge transforms. Understand how tectonic plates interact at these boundaries and the implications for earthquakes and geological structures.