Question

Know the difference between hanging wall and footwall of a dip-slip fault.

a) Hanging wall is the upper block; footwall is the lower block.
b) Hanging wall is the lower block; footwall is the upper block.
c) Hanging wall is the block that moves horizontally; footwall is the stationary block.
d) Hanging wall and footwall are interchangeable terms in geology

Answer 1

In dip-slip faults, the hanging wall is the upper block, and the footwall is the lower block.

Step-by-step explanation:

In dip-slip faults, the blocks on either side of the fault are referred to as the hanging wall and footwall. The hanging wall is the upper block, while the footwall is the lower block.

The movement of the hanging wall determines whether it is a normal fault or a reverse fault. In normal faults, the hanging wall moves down, whereas in reverse faults, the hanging wall moves upwards.