The San Andreas Fault is the boundary between two of Earth's tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. This boundary is a transform boundary. The Pacific Plate is moving to the north and west, while the North American Plate is moving to the south and east. What type of stress is most likely to occur at this boundary?

Question

Geography

Mark Oneal

19 July, 11:54

The San Andreas Fault is the boundary between two of Earth's tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. This boundary is a transform boundary. The Pacific Plate is moving to the north and west, while the North American Plate is moving to the south and east. What type of stress is most likely to occur at this boundary?

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Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Kimora Clarke · Answer 1

earthquakes

Kaylah Mcdonald · Answer 2

Shear stress

Explanation:

Shear stress occurs on transform boundaries like that found on the San Andreas fault where two plates are sliding past one another. Unlike the pulling tensional stress found at divergent plate boundaries or the compression that takes place at convergent plate boundaries, shear stress is largely the frictional action of two plates scraping against each other.