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What are the different types of faults and their characteristics according to the syllabus?
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Types of Faults and their Characteristics


1. Normal Fault:

A normal fault occurs when the hanging wall moves downward with respect to the footwall. Its characteristics include:


  • The fault plane is inclined and extends in a vertical direction.

  • The hanging wall moves downward due to tensional forces.

  • Normal faults are associated with the stretching and thinning of the Earth's crust.

  • They are commonly found in areas with active tectonic forces and are often associated with fault-block mountains.



2. Reverse Fault:

A reverse fault occurs when the hanging wall moves upward with respect to the footwall. Its characteristics include:


  • The fault plane is inclined and extends in a vertical direction.

  • The hanging wall moves upward due to compressional forces.

  • Reverse faults are associated with the shortening and thickening of the Earth's crust.

  • They are commonly found in areas where two tectonic plates collide, resulting in the formation of fold mountains and thrust faults.



3. Thrust Fault:

A thrust fault is a type of reverse fault with a low angle of fault plane inclination. Its characteristics include:


  • The fault plane is inclined at a low angle, usually less than 45 degrees.

  • The hanging wall moves over the footwall in a horizontal or slightly upward direction.

  • Thrust faults are associated with large-scale crustal deformation and the formation of fold mountains.

  • They are commonly found in areas where two tectonic plates collide, resulting in the compression of the Earth's crust.



4. Strike-Slip Fault:

A strike-slip fault occurs when the movement of the fault plane is predominantly horizontal, with minimal vertical displacement. Its characteristics include:


  • The fault plane is vertical or near-vertical.

  • The lateral displacement of the blocks occurs horizontally along the fault line.

  • Strike-slip faults are associated with shearing forces and the lateral movement of crustal blocks.

  • They are commonly found in areas where two tectonic plates slide past each other, such as transform plate boundaries.



5. Transform Fault:

A transform fault is a specific type of strike-slip fault that occurs between two tectonic plates. Its characteristics include:


  • The fault plane is vertical or near-vertical.

  • The lateral displacement of the blocks occurs horizontally along the fault line.

  • Transform faults are associated with the movement of two tectonic plates in opposite directions.

  • They are commonly found in areas where two plates slide past each other, such as along mid-ocean ridges.



6. Oblique Slip Fault:

An oblique slip fault is a combination of both strike-slip and dip-slip movements. Its characteristics include:


  • The fault plane is inclined and extends
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What are the different types of faults and their characteristics according to the syllabus?
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