gen-briefly-explain-fault-types-and-one-common-misconception-abo-81be

Briefly explain fault types and one common misconception about it.

# Fault Types **The three main types of faults** are classified by how rock blocks move relative to each other: 1. **Normal faults** - The hanging wall moves DOWN relative to the footwall (caused by tensional/extensional forces) 2. **Reverse/Thrust faults** - The hanging wall moves UP relative to the footwall (caused by compressional forces) 3. **Strike-slip faults** - Blocks slide horizontally past each other with minimal vertical movement (caused by shear forces) ## Common Misconception **"The fault that moves during an earthquake is the one that caused the earthquake."** In reality, the fault doesn't cause the earthquake by moving—rather, **tectonic stress builds up over time** along locked portions of the fault. The earthquake occurs when this stress overcomes the frictional resistance, causing sudden slip. The fault is simply the weak zone where this accumulated stress is released. The movement is the *result* of stress buildup, not the cause of the seismic event.