Question

slip, slide, & collide
your score: 2
time:
plate interactions challenge
case 2: new zealand
whats happening at the plate boundary where the australian plate and the pacific plate meet?
plates are pushing toward each other.
plates are spreading apart.
plates are sliding past each other.
courtesy nasa goddard space flight center

Explanation:

The boundary between the Australian Plate and the Pacific Plate near New Zealand is a transform - fault boundary. At transform - fault boundaries, tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. The option "Plates are pushing toward each other" describes a convergent boundary, and "Plates are spreading apart" describes a divergent boundary. So the correct description of the interaction at this plate boundary is that the plates are sliding past each other.

Answer:

Plates are sliding past each other.