Final Answer:
During the breakup of a continent, normal faults would form due to extensional forces at divergent plate boundaries, with the hanging wall moving downward relative to the footwall.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Earth's lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates, and the boundaries between these plates are hotspots for geological activity. When continents break apart, the forces acting on them often cause the formation of faults. Normal faults are the result of extensional forces, where the Earth's crust is being pulled apart. In the context of continental breakup, this typically occurs at divergent plate boundaries. As the plates move away from each other, the crust fractures, creating normal faults.
In a normal fault, the hanging wall (the block of rock above the fault) moves downward relative to the footwall (the block of rock below the fault). This movement is a consequence of the tensional forces associated with the stretching of the Earth's crust. The angle at which the fault plane is inclined to the horizontal is known as the fault dip.
Normal faults are characterized by a steep fault dip, and the movement of the hanging wall down leads to the formation of rift valleys, a common feature in the early stages of continental breakup.
Understanding the type of fault formed during continental breakup is crucial for geologists as it provides insights into the tectonic processes shaping the Earth's surface. Normal faults, in the context of continental rifting, contribute to the creation of new ocean basins and the evolution of geological landscapes over vast periods.