What type of fault allows each side to slide past one another horizontally?

The correct answer is the type of fault that allows each side to slide past one another horizontally, which is known as a strike-slip fault. In this type of faulting, the movement occurs along the fault line, causing the blocks of rock on either side of the fault to shift horizontally in opposite directions.

Strike-slip faults are characterized by shear stress, which results in lateral movement. A classic example of a strike-slip fault is the San Andreas Fault in California, where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate slide past each other. This horizontal movement does not result in vertical displacement, which distinguishes it from other fault types.

In contrast, dip-slip faults include normal and reverse faults where movement occurs vertically. Normal faults involve the hanging wall block moving down relative to the footwall block, while reverse faults involve the hanging wall block moving up. Therefore, the distinguishing feature of strike-slip faults is the horizontal sliding motion, which is not present in the other fault types.