Question

the image below shows a fault. which describes the motion of the plates? the hanging wall and footwall both move vertically. shearing is causing the plates to slide past each other. the hanging wall moves down in relation to the footwall. compression is causing the plates to move toward each other. footwall hanging wall

Explanation:

1. Analyze each option:

• Option 1: The diagram shows horizontal movement of the top layers and vertical movement of the hanging wall, not both moving vertically. Eliminate.
• Option 2: Shearing causes horizontal sliding (like strike - slip faults), but here the hanging wall has vertical motion (downward relative to footwall), so this is not shearing. Eliminate.
• Option 3: The white arrow on the hanging wall points down, so the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall. This matches the diagram.
• Option 4: Compression causes folding or reverse faults (hanging wall moves up), but here hanging wall moves down (normal fault, caused by tension), so compression is incorrect. Eliminate.

Answer:

The hanging wall moves down in relation to the footwall.