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This is an image of what type of fault? (cross-section view)

Select one:
a. right-lateral strike-slip fault
b. left-lateral strike-slip fault
c. reverse fault
d. normal fault
e. thrust fault

User Juliett
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1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

Without additional information about the orientation of the image, we determine that if the cross-section view represents a vertical outcrop, the fault depicted is a c. reverse fault, characterized by the upward movement.

Step-by-step explanation:

To identify the type of fault depicted in a cross-section image, one must consider the direction of movement along the fault plane. A strike-slip fault has walls that slide horizontally past each other. If the movement of the block on the opposite side of the fault is to the right, it is a right-lateral strike-slip fault. Conversely, if it moves to the left, it is a left-lateral strike-slip fault. In a dip-slip fault, the blocks move vertically, with a normal fault occurring when the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall, typically due to extensional forces. In a reverse fault, the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall as a result of compressional forces. A specific kind of reverse fault is the thrust fault, which has a low angle of dip and results from significant compressional stress, often seen in mountain belt formations from tectonic collisions.

Understanding the context given, if the context describes a vertical outcrop view, the fault would be classified as a reverse fault. If no detailed description is provided for orientation, it's common to assume a vertical cross-section when referring to faults in geology.

User Satwik
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