---
title: "Transform versus divergent plate boundary"
subject: "Engineering Geology I"
chapter: 2
key: "semester_3/engineering_geology_i:transform-versus-divergent-plate-boundary"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_3/engineering_geology_i/transform-versus-divergent-plate-boundary
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Transform versus divergent plate boundary

Engineering Geology I · Chapter 2: Basic Reviews of the Earth

- Asked in: 2074 Chaitra, 2 marks
- Video: [Plate Boundaries  Convergent, Divergent, and Transform Boundaries 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJF7RAKzxRw) — Oil and Gas Channel
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_3/engineering_geology_i/transform-versus-divergent-plate-boundary
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_3/engineering_geology_i/chapter-2

## Question

Differentiate between transform and divergent plate boundary.

## Short answer

Transform boundaries slide horizontally with shear stress, neither creating nor destroying crust; divergent boundaries move apart under tension, forming new crust at ridges. Transform quakes are shallow and strong, while divergent quakes are shallow and moderate.

## Answer

| Basis | Transform boundary | Divergent boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Plate movement | Slide horizontally past each other | Move apart |
| Crust | Neither created nor destroyed | New crust formed |
| Main stress | Shear | Tension |
| Features | Strike-slip faults, offset ridges | Mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys |
| Volcanism | Absent | Common (basaltic) |
| Earthquakes | Shallow, strong | Shallow, moderate |
| Example | San Andreas Fault | Mid-Atlantic Ridge |

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. At transform boundary crust is:
   A. Neither created nor destroyed
   B. Created
   C. Destroyed
   D. Melted
   Answer: A. Plates slide. (Key point: Crust)

2. Main stress at transform:
   A. Tension
   B. Shear
   C. Compression
   D. None
   Answer: B. Divergent is tension. (Key point: Stress)

3. Volcanism at transform boundary is:
   A. Common basaltic
   B. Explosive
   C. Absent
   D. Constant
   Answer: C. No magma. (Key point: Volcanism)

## Related in Engineering Geology I

- [Convergent versus divergent plate boundary](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fengineering_geology_i%3Aconvergent-versus-divergent-plate-boundary) — Engineering Geology I, chapter 2, asked 3×
- [Plate boundary and mountain formation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fengineering_geology_i%3Aplate-boundary-and-mountain-formation) — Engineering Geology I, chapter 2

## Related in other subjects

- [Rigid versus mobile boundary design principle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fhydraulics%3Arigid-vs-mobile-boundary-design-principle) — Hydraulics, chapter 10, asked 3×