Final answer:
The structure formed by two tectonic plates sliding past each other, with one moving upward, is caused by shear stress and is known as a strike-slip fault, exemplified by the San Andreas Fault.
Step-by-step explanation:
The structure described, where one tectonic plate is sliding past another, indicates a type of stress known as shear stress. This type of stress is exemplified by the San Andreas Fault, a well-known fault in California where two crustal plates slide sideways relative to each other. The force applied is tangential to the plates' surfaces, leading to a lateral displacement without vertical motion. Such movement can produce extremely destructive earthquakes when there is significant slippage along the fault.
In terms of specific geological features, the San Andreas Fault is classified as a strike-slip fault, resulting from shear stress. Strike-slip faults are characterized by the horizontal movement of blocks on either side of the fault plane. When identifying these features in photographs, one may look for the offset of landforms across the fault, the presence of a linear valley along the fault line, and the relative movement of geographic features on either side of the fault.