A transform fault is a type of fault where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. This type of fault is characterized by lateral or horizontal movement, causing the plates to move past each other. Transform faults are typically found in areas where there is a divergent or convergent boundary. The San Andreas Fault in California is a well-known example of a transform fault.
A strike-slip fault, also known as a lateral fault, is a type of fault where the movement is primarily horizontal, with the two plates sliding past each other. The movement along a strike-slip fault can be either right-lateral or left-lateral, depending on the direction of the movement. These faults are characterized by a lack of significant vertical displacement. The well-known example of a strike-slip fault is the Anatolian Fault in Turkey.
Both transform faults and strike-slip faults are forms of horizontal motion faults, but their main difference is in how they occur. Transform faults occur at the boundaries between tectonic plates, while strike-slip faults can occur within tectonic plates as well.
Type of Fault
Type of Stress
Description or Diagram
Transform Fault or
Strike-Slip Fault
1 answer
1 answer