Science Olympiad Dynamic Planet Practice Test

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What type of motion does a Normal Fault produce in the Earth’s crust?

Pulling apart
Sliding laterally
Compressing
Twisting

The correct answer is: Pulling apart

A Normal Fault is characterized by a specific type of motion that occurs due to extensional forces within the Earth’s crust. The tectonic plates on either side of the fault are pulled apart, allowing one block of crust (the hanging wall) to move downward relative to the other block (the footwall). This movement typically happens in regions where the Earth's crust is being stretched, indicating divergent plate boundaries or rift zones. The pulling apart of the crust leads to the formation of features such as rift valleys and can result in earthquakes when the stress along the fault exceeds the strength of the rocks involved. The mechanism of a Normal Fault is fundamentally linked to the tension acting on the crust, which is why it is associated specifically with the action of pulling apart.