Question

In normal faulting...

a. the fault blocks move in a dextral fashion.
b. the fault blocks move in a sinistral fashion.
c. scarps do not form.
d. the hanging wall drops relative to the foot wall.
e. the hanging wall rises relative to the foot wall.

Answer 1

In normal faulting, d. the hanging wall drops relative to the footwall due to tensional forces causing crustal extension.

Step-by-step explanation:

In normal faulting, neither dextral nor sinistral motion is observed since these terms refer to lateral movement in a strike-slip fault. Instead, the hallmark of a normal fault is that d. the hanging wall drops relative to the footwall.

This movement is indicative of extension within the Earth's crust where tensional forces pull the crust apart, causing the hanging wall to move downward in relation to the footwall block. This process can lead to the formation of fault scarps, which are not mentioned in the options provided.