normal fault geology Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/normal-fault Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/normal-fault Also known as: block faulting, dip-slip fault, gravity fault Written by Sanat Pai Raikar Sanat Pai Raikar is a quizmaster and writer based out of Bangalore, India. His first quiz book, Three's A Quiz, was written from memory. Sanat has cofounded Quizarre, which provides quiz, crossword,... Sanat Pai Raikar Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 9, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents normal fault, type of fault in which lengthening, or extension, of a portion of Earth’s crust causes a block of rock above the fault (hanging wall) to move downward relative to the block below (footwall). The dip angle of the sliding surface on either side tends to be steep, often between 45° and 90°. Normal faults differ from reverse faults (also called thrust faults), which are generated by compression that forces a hanging wall upward relative to the footwall. They are common, often found on the fringes of many mountain ranges of the world in addition to being primary components ...(100 of 402 words)

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