MasteryExams
Geography • World GeographyMedium

Which of the following tectonic plate boundaries is responsible for the creation of the San Andreas Fault system in California, characterized by horizontal lateral displacement without crustal creation or destruction?

A. Convergent subduction boundary
B. Divergent seafloor spreading center
C. Transform fault boundary✓ Correct Answer
D. Passive continental margin

💡 Solution & Explanation

The San Andreas Fault is a classic example of a transform fault boundary where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate slide horizontally past one another in opposite directions. Convergent boundaries involve subduction or collision, whereas divergent boundaries create mid-ocean ridges. Transform boundaries are seismically active zones prone to shallow earthquakes without volcanic activity. Crustal plates interact dynamically along fault lines.

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