Transform boundaries are where plates slide past each other horizontally. This means:
* New crust is NOT created: Unlike divergent boundaries (where plates pull apart) or convergent boundaries (where plates collide), no magma rises to create new crust at transform boundaries.
* Crust is NOT destroyed: Unlike convergent boundaries where one plate subducts beneath another, there's no process of melting and recycling crust at transform boundaries.
However, there's a slight nuance:
* Crust CAN be fractured and broken: The intense friction and grinding along a transform boundary can cause earthquakes and break up existing crust. This breakage isn't technically "destruction" in the same sense as subduction, but it does alter the crust's structure.
In summary: While crust isn't directly created or destroyed at a transform boundary, it can be significantly fractured and modified.
