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Posted on April 15, 2022 (Updated on July 9, 2025)

What is the definition of reverse fault?

Regional Specifics

What is the definition reverse fault?

Definition of reverse fault

: a geological fault in which the hanging wall appears to have been pushed up along the footwall.

What is a reverse fault kid definition?

A reverse fault (if steeply dipping) or thrust fault (if shallowly dipping) is a fault where the fault plane dips toward the upthrown block. It is shown on the geologic map with triangular teeth pointing toward the upthrown side of the fault. Reverse and thrust faults shorten (horizontally) and thicken the crust.

What is an example of a reverse fault?

Reverse faults are dip-slip faults in which the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall. Reverse faults are the result of compression (forces that push rocks together). The Sierra Madre fault zone of southern California is an example of reverse-fault movement.

What is the another term of reverse fault?

thrust fault, overthrust fault, reverse faultnoun. a geological fault in which the upper side appears to have been pushed upward by compression. Synonyms: thrust fault, overthrust fault.

What is a reverse fault caused by?

Compressional stress, meaning rocks pushing into each other, creates a reverse fault. In this type of fault, the hanging wall and footwall are pushed together, and the hanging wall moves upward along the fault relative to the footwall. This is literally the ‘reverse’ of a normal fault.

How do reverse faults work?

Reverse or Thrust Faults: The opposite of a normal fault, a reverse fault forms when the rocks on the “uphill” side of an inclined fault plane rise above the rocks on the other side. Reverse faults often form along convergent plate boundaries.

What is the difference between reverse fault and normal fault?

In a Normal Fault, the hanging wall moves downwards relative to the foot wall. They are caused by extensional tectonics. This kind of faulting will cause the faulted section of rock to lengthen. In a Reverse Fault, the hanging wall moves upwards relative to the foot wall.

How does reverse fault differ from normal fault?

A normal fault is one at which the hanging wall has been depressed relative to the foot wall. A reverse fault is one at which the hanging wall has been raised relative to the foot wall.

How do reverse faults cause earthquakes?

Tension weakens the crust until the rock fractures, and one block of rock moves downward relative to the other. A reverse fault is usually associated with plates that are colliding. Compression forces a fault block upward.

Is a reverse fault vertical or horizontal?

In normal and reverse faulting, rock masses slip vertically past each other. In strike-slip faulting, the rocks slip past each other horizontally.

What happens to a river in a reverse fault?

In a normal fault, rivers flow toward a hanging wall like waterfalls. In reverse fault, the river settles to form a lake or pond. In a transcurrent or strike-slip fault river flow will change its course.

What type of plate boundary is a reverse fault?

Reverse faults occur at convergent plate boundaries, while normal faults occur at divergent plate boundaries.

Where are reverse faults?

Reverse faults occur commonly at plate boundaries. The type of movement seen in reverse faults is the result of compression. The hanging wall isn’t going to move up and over the foot wall against the force of gravity without a push. When one plate pushes up against another, we get a reverse fault and mountains.

What type of force is reverse fault?

compressional forces

Reverse faults results of compressional forces when rocks are displaced towards each other. Strike-slip or transform faults results from either compressional or extensional forces when rocks slip parallell to each other.

What are the 3 faults?

There are three main types of fault which can cause earthquakes: normal, reverse (thrust) and strike-slip.

What are the 5 types of faults?

There are different types of faults: reverse faults, strike-slip faults, oblique faults, and normal faults.

What are the 4 types of faults?

There are four types of faulting — normal, reverse, strike-slip, and oblique. A normal fault is one in which the rocks above the fault plane, or hanging wall, move down relative to the rocks below the fault plane, or footwall. A reverse fault is one in which the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall.

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