What type of boundary occurs when two tectonic plates slide past each other?

When two tectonic plates slide past each other, a transform boundary is formed. This type of boundary is characterized by lateral motion, where plates move horizontally relative to one another. The interaction at transform boundaries can lead to significant geological activity, including earthquakes, as the friction between the plates can cause stress to build up over time. When the stress exceeds the frictional forces, it is released as seismic energy, resulting in an earthquake.

In contrast, divergent boundaries occur where plates move apart, typically found at mid-ocean ridges, leading to the formation of new crust. Convergent boundaries involve plates moving toward each other, which can result in one plate being forced beneath another, creating subduction zones that form mountains or ocean trenches. Though the term “fault boundary” may imply a connection to the movements along transform boundaries, it is not a recognized formal term for such boundaries in plate tectonics, making transform boundary the accurate choice for describing the specific movement of sliding past one another.