Which type of faults are typically associated with transform boundaries?

Transform boundaries are characterized by the lateral movement of tectonic plates sliding past one another. The type of fault that best describes this movement is known as a strike-slip fault. In strike-slip faults, the motion primarily occurs horizontally, which aligns with the nature of the movement at transform plate boundaries.

As the tectonic plates shift, one plate may slide to the left or right relative to the other without significantly changing the elevation or sinking of the crust in a vertical manner. This lateral displacement can lead to significant geological activity, such as earthquakes, as stress builds up and is released along these faults.

Normal faults occur at divergent boundaries, where plates are moving apart, resulting in the hanging wall moving down relative to the footwall. Reverse faults, on the other hand, occur at convergent boundaries, where plates push against each other, causing the hanging wall to move up. Thrust faults, similar to reverse faults, also involve this upward movement but typically occur at a shallower angle.

Understanding the context of these different fault types helps clarify why strike-slip faults are specifically associated with the unique dynamics of transform boundaries, where the emphasis is on horizontal displacement rather than vertical shifts.