What type of boundary is characterized by two plates sliding past each other?

The type of boundary characterized by two tectonic plates sliding past each other is known as a transform boundary. At these boundaries, the movement occurs horizontally, where plates grind past one another without the creation or destruction of lithosphere. This lateral sliding can lead to significant geological activity, including earthquakes.

Transform boundaries are defined by the fault lines that form as a result of this movement. A well-known example of a transform boundary is the San Andreas Fault in California, where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate slide past each other.

In contrast, divergent boundaries are where tectonic plates move apart, leading to the formation of new crust as magma rises to the surface, while convergent boundaries involve plates colliding, resulting in one plate being forced below another, often creating mountain ranges or subduction zones. Subduction zones themselves are specific areas within convergent boundaries where this downward motion occurs. Thus, only transform boundaries involve the characteristic horizontal sliding motion of the plates relative to one another.