What happens to lithosphere at a transform boundary?

What happens to lithosphere at a transform boundary?

• A. New lithosphere is created.
• B. Lithosphere is recycled back into the mantle.
• C. No lithosphere is created or destroyed.
• D. Lithosphere expands rapidly.

Answer: (C)

At a transform boundary, two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. This movement does not involve the creation or destruction of lithosphere, which comprises the Earth's crust and the upper part of the mantle. Instead, the lithosphere remains constant in terms of its overall mass at these boundaries. The key characteristic of transform boundaries is that they are primarily associated with strike-slip faulting, where the motion is lateral rather than vertical. As the plates grind against each other, the lithosphere can become deformed, but it is not removed or added to the Earth's structure as would occur at divergent or convergent boundaries. Therefore, the primary reason why the correct answer is that no lithosphere is created or destroyed at a transform boundary is central to understanding tectonic processes and the behavior of Earth's surface features.

At a transform boundary, two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. This movement does not involve the creation or destruction of lithosphere, which comprises the Earth's crust and the upper part of the mantle. Instead, the lithosphere remains constant in terms of its overall mass at these boundaries.

The key characteristic of transform boundaries is that they are primarily associated with strike-slip faulting, where the motion is lateral rather than vertical. As the plates grind against each other, the lithosphere can become deformed, but it is not removed or added to the Earth's structure as would occur at divergent or convergent boundaries. Therefore, the primary reason why the correct answer is that no lithosphere is created or destroyed at a transform boundary is central to understanding tectonic processes and the behavior of Earth's surface features.