Geological Terms and Faults

Front

Fault

Back

A break in the earth's crust.

Front

Compression

Back

Stress that squeezes rock until it folds or breaks.

Front

Tension

Back

Stress that stretches rock so that it becomes thinner in the middle.

Front

Shearing

Back

Stress that pushes rock in opposite directions until it breaks.

Front

Normal fault

Back

A fault where the hanging wall slides downward; caused by tension in the crust.