ASBOG Practice Exam

What is a growth fault similar to?

1. Reverse fault

2. Normal fault

3. Thrust fault

4. Strike-slip fault

The correct answer is: Normal fault

A growth fault is indeed similar to a normal fault. In geological terms, both types of faults are associated with extension within the Earth’s crust. A normal fault occurs when the crust is subjected to tensile stress, allowing blocks of the crust to move apart, resulting in one block (the hanging wall) slipping down relative to the other (the footwall). Growth faults, in particular, are characterized by their formation during sedimentation in a basin. They can develop as sediment accumulates, causing the underlying structures to extend and the faults to form as a response to ongoing tectonic stresses and the weight of the sediments above. This is similar to how normal faults behave, where extension leads to vertical displacement. Understanding this relationship between growth and normal faults highlights the dynamics of sediment basins and tectonics, where the movement is fundamental in shaping geological formations. The other options, which include reverse faults, thrust faults, and strike-slip faults, involve different types of stress and movement, specifically compressional or lateral movements, which are not characteristic of growth faults.