Final answer:
In geology, a fault is a fracture through rocks where significant movement has occurred; a fault zone has many such fractures, and a shear zone is characterized by ductile, as opposed to brittle, movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The notion of fault has geological origins, referring to a fracture in rocks along which there has been significant movement. A fault is specifically a single brittle fracture, while a fault zone consists of numerous brittle fractures. Alternatively, a shear zone involves ductile movement, differentiating it from a fault zone's brittle characteristics.