Question

Which one of the following CORRECTLY describes the footwall block relative to the hanging wall of a planar normal fault?

• A. Lies above the fault plane and relatively moves down
• B. Lies below the fault plane and relatively moves horizontally
• C. Lies above the fault plane and relatively moves up
• D. Lies below the fault plane and relatively moves up

Hint:

In a normal fault, the hanging wall moves downward due to tensional forces, while the footwall block remains relatively stable or moves upward in reverse faults.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

In a normal fault, the hanging wall block moves down relative to the footwall block due to extensional forces. The footwall block lies below the fault plane, and the hanging wall lies above it.
Thus, the footwall block in a normal fault lies below the fault plane and moves up relative to the hanging wall.
The correct description is option (D). Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{Lies below the fault plane and relatively moves up}} \]