Podcast
Questions and Answers
What type of stress is responsible for the formation of a normal fault?
What type of stress is responsible for the formation of a normal fault?
Which statement is true about reverse faults?
Which statement is true about reverse faults?
Which type of fault is characterized by horizontal movement?
Which type of fault is characterized by horizontal movement?
Where do normal faults typically form?
Where do normal faults typically form?
Signup and view all the answers
What distinguishes a left-lateral strike-slip fault from a right-lateral strike-slip fault?
What distinguishes a left-lateral strike-slip fault from a right-lateral strike-slip fault?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of boundary is associated with reverse faults?
What type of boundary is associated with reverse faults?
Signup and view all the answers
The San Andreas Fault is an example of which type of fault?
The San Andreas Fault is an example of which type of fault?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a fault in geological terms?
What is a fault in geological terms?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following statements about the hanging wall and footwall is correct?
Which of the following statements about the hanging wall and footwall is correct?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of stress occurs when two blocks of rock push toward one another?
What type of stress occurs when two blocks of rock push toward one another?
Signup and view all the answers
Which type of fault occurs when the hanging wall moves above the footwall?
Which type of fault occurs when the hanging wall moves above the footwall?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary cause of faults in the Earth's crust?
What is the primary cause of faults in the Earth's crust?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is not a type of fault?
Which of the following is not a type of fault?
Signup and view all the answers
What results from the motion of tectonic plates along plate boundaries?
What results from the motion of tectonic plates along plate boundaries?
Signup and view all the answers
Which type of fault occurs when two blocks of rock slide past one another?
Which type of fault occurs when two blocks of rock slide past one another?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Faults in Earth's Crust
- Earth's crust is composed of large, moving tectonic plates.
- Plate boundaries are where tectonic plates meet, and different types of faults form depending on the plate movement.
- Faults are fractures in rock within Earth's crust.
- Three main fault types exist: normal, reverse, and strike-slip.
Hanging Wall and Footwall
- A fault has a hanging wall on one side and a footwall on the other.
- The hanging wall's position relative to the footwall depends on the fault type.
Fault Formation Causes
- Faults are caused by stress within Earth's rocks.
- Stress can be:
- Compressional (rocks push together)
- Shear (rocks slide past each other)
- Tensional (rocks pull apart)
Fault Types and Stress
- Normal faults: Caused by tensional stress, the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall. Form at divergent plate boundaries.
- Reverse faults: Caused by compressional stress, the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall. Form at convergent plate boundaries. Also known as thrust faults.
- Strike-slip faults: Caused by shear stress, the rocks move horizontally past each other. Form at transform plate boundaries. Examples include the San Andreas Fault.
- Fault classification is also based on "dip" (angle of separation from the surface) and "slip" (direction of movement).
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Explore the types of faults in Earth's crust and the processes that lead to their formation. Learn about normal, reverse, and strike-slip faults, as well as the stress mechanisms that cause them. This quiz covers essential concepts in geology related to tectonic plates and fault dynamics.
