Question

"The San Andreas Fault extends roughly 800 miles through the United States.

It forms the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate - two subterranean masses that form the bases
of the Pacific Ocean and the North American continent
What can result when these two plates move past each other?
A) earthquakes
B) geysers
C) hurricanes
D volcanoes

Answer 1

The movement of the Pacific and North American Plates past each other along the San Andreas Fault can result in significant earthquakes. This has been evidenced by past seismic events, including the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, which form the boundaries of the San Andreas Fault, move past each other, the result can be significant earthquakes. This fault extends roughly 800 miles and is marked by the valley running up the right side of the photo in Figure 8.10. Major slippages along this fault can produce extremely destructive earthquakes, as seen in historical events such as the 1906 earthquake that destroyed San Francisco. Los Angeles, located on the Pacific Plate, is moving northward and could, in several million years, be an island off the coast of San Francisco due to the constant motion of these tectonic plates.