What type of plate boundary is characterized by plates sliding past each other?

The type of plate boundary characterized by plates sliding past each other is known as a transform boundary. In this type of boundary, two tectonic plates move horizontally in opposite directions along a fault. This lateral movement can cause significant friction and pressure to build up, which is eventually released as earthquakes.

Transform boundaries do not typically create or destroy crust, unlike divergent boundaries, which create new crust as plates move apart, or convergent boundaries, which can cause one plate to be pushed under another, leading to geological features such as mountains or deep ocean trenches.

Additionally, a subduction zone is a specific type of convergent boundary where one plate moves beneath another, which is not the case in transform boundaries. Transform boundaries are crucial in understanding earthquake mechanics and the overall dynamics of plate tectonics.