What is a fault?
Q: What is a fault?
A: A fault is a fracture, or break, in the Earth's crust (lithosphere).
Q: What happens when sections of rock move past each other?
A: When sections of rock move past each other it can sometimes cause earthquakes.
Q: What causes faulting?
A: Faulting occurs when shear stress on a rock overcomes the forces which hold it together.
Q: What is the name for the fracture itself?
A: The fracture itself is called a fault plane.
Q: How does a fault plane appear at the Earth's surface?
A: When it is exposed at the Earth's surface, it may form a cliff or steep slope called a fault scarp.
Q: What is the angle between the fault plane and an imaginary horizontal plane called?
A: The angle between the fault plane and an imaginary horizontal plane is called the dip angle of the fault.
Q: How are faults categorized?
A: Faults are categorized into three types.
