Transform boundaries occur when two plate are sliding past each other horizontally at the transform fault. One of the most famous transform faults is the San Andreas Fault.
You can see at the San Andreas Fault the two plates are moving past each other in opposite directions. The one palte is sliding toward the northwest, while the other is sliding towards the southeast. The plates are traveling at about 1/5 an inch per year.
Critical thinking: How far have the plates traveled in your lifetime? How long will it take the land to move 5 miles? 100 miles? The table below gives you an idea of how fast the plates are moving.
Years |
Distance |
Average Lifespan of a Rabbit 10 years |
10 x 1/5 = 2 inches |
Average Lifespan of a Human 75 years |
75 x 1/5= 15 inches |
Time since first European Contact to North America ~500 years ago |
500 x 1/5= 100 inches-8 1/3 ft |
1 million years |
500 x 1mil= 200,000 inches or 3.16 miles |