• Home
  • Chemistry
  • Astronomy
  • Energy
  • Nature
  • Biology
  • Physics
  • Electronics
  • Normal Faults: Understanding Crustal Movement - Hanging Wall vs. Footwall
    The statement that describes the movement of crust in a normal fault is:

    The hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall.

    Here's why:

    * Normal faults are characterized by extensional forces that pull the crust apart.

    * The hanging wall is the block of rock that lies above the fault plane.

    * The footwall is the block of rock that lies below the fault plane.

    * When the crust is pulled apart, the hanging wall slides down relative to the footwall.

    This downward movement creates a space between the two blocks, which can be filled with sediments or magma. Normal faults are common in areas where the Earth's crust is being stretched, such as at divergent plate boundaries.

    Science Discoveries © www.scienceaq.com