What occurs when the earth's plates slide past each other?
a. an earthquake
b. a volcano
c. a river
d. an ocean trench

The answer is A. An earthquake

Explanation:

When the giant blocks of rock that make up the Earth's crust, move due to plate tectonics, they tend to collide with each other. These blocks of rock come into contact with the faults. Sometimes they glide smoothly against each other in a fault. But others collide and get stuck. which leads to an earthquake. When two plates collide, a large amount of energy accumulates. And when that energy is released, the earthquake occurs. Energy is released in the form of waves, which shakes the Earth's surface.