Final answer:
Divergent plate boundaries are where plates move apart, creating features like mid-ocean ridges. Transform plate boundaries are where plates slide horizontally past each other, often causing earthquakes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Divergent and Transform Plate Boundaries
For divergent plate boundaries, the correct option is (a) Plates move apart from each other. This movement leads to the formation of features such as mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys where new crust is created as magma rises up to fill the gap created by the diverging plates. An example of a divergent boundary is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
For transform plate boundaries, the correct choice is (b) Plates slide past each other horizontally. These boundaries are characterized by sideways motion, and they frequently result in earthquakes due to the plates grinding against each other. The San Andreas Fault in California is an example of a transform boundary. These boundaries do not typically create volcanoes as there's no subduction or significant crust creation occurring.
The lithospheric plates move at a rate of millimeters to a few centimeters a year, comparable to the rate of fingernail growth. The interaction at the boundaries of these plates results in geological features and events such as earthquakes and volcanoes which are mainly associated with convergent and divergent boundaries.