What happens at transform boundaries?

At transform boundaries, tectonic plates slide past one another horizontally. This lateral movement can lead to significant stress accumulation along the fault lines. When the stress exceeds the friction holding the plates together, it is released in the form of energy, which manifests as earthquakes. This is why transform boundaries are often associated with earthquake activity.

The movement does not typically create new land (as seen in divergent boundaries) or form mountain ranges (which occur at convergent boundaries). Additionally, the separation of plates that forms rift valleys takes place at divergent boundaries, not transform boundaries. Understanding the characteristics of transform boundaries helps in predicting earthquake locations and understanding the tectonic behavior in those regions.