PERFORMANCE TASK 1

Movements along the Faults which Generates Earthquake

OBJECTIVES
1. Define fault and explain how it is formed.
2. Describe the effects of bending of rocks along faults.

An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. In this activity you will have
an idea about the relationship between earthquakes and faults. How movements of
fault generate earthquakes. Arrange the jumbled letters of each word which you
will encounter in the discussion.

A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock. It may

range in length from a few millimeters to thousands of kilometers. places on
Earth near or at the fault line are likely to experience an earthquake because the
release of energy is most likely to happen here. Faults allow the blocks to move
relative to each other. This movement may occur rapidly, in the form of an
earthquake - or may occur slowly, in the form of creep.
Most faults produce repeated displacements over geologic time. During an
earthquake, the rock on one side of the fault suddenly slips with respect to the other. It
is the shaking that radiates out from the breaking rock.

An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. A slip is the relative motion of the
rock on each side of the fault with respect to the other side. Elastic Rebound Theory is
the first theory to satisfactorily explain and describe the build-up and release of stress
during an earthquake. A plate is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, generally
composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere. The tectonic plates are always
slowly moving sending energy and travels through waves that shakes the Earth’s crust. This
continuous and slow motion of tectonic plates cause blocks of
crust to collide with each other. Stress along this blocks then
starts to build up but they get stuck at their edges due to
friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction,
the blocks of crust snaps from each other and an earthquake
that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's
crust cause the shaking that we feel. Earthquakes occur in the
crust or upper mantle which ranges from the earth's surface.
Seismic waves are vibrations of the earth and its crust.

Earthquake is generated when two blocks of rocks move relative to each other, and a fracture on
the surface of the Earth is created. It is caused by a sudden slip of a fault.

Arrange the following jumbled set of letter to form the correct word that matches the description.

Jumbled Letters Correct Description

Word
1. LAUFT a fracture or zone of fractures between two
blocks of rock

2. PLIS the relative motion of the rock on each side of

the fault with respect
to the other side.
3. EMISCSI VEASW vibrations of the earth and its crust.

4. KEQUATEARH is the shaking that radiates out

from the breaking rock.
5. ACCFIIP NIRG FO a long horseshoe-
RIFE shaped seismically
active belt of
earthquake
epicenters,
volcanoes, and
tectonic plate
 6. TACESLI the first theory to satisfactorily explain and
BENDOUR describe the build-up and release of stress
ROYHET during an earthquake

7. ETALP is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid

rock, generally composed of both continental
and
oceanic lithosphere.

8. What places on Earth are likely to experience an earthquake?

9. Read and analyze carefully the concept above and arrange the following to explain the correct
order on how earthquake is generated.
I. Energy is produced and travels through waves that shakes the Earth’s crust.
II. The blocks of crust snaps from each other.
III. Collision continues and stress starts to build up.
IV. Blocks of crust collide with each other.

10. What are the causes of an earthquake?

Classification of Fault

The fault surface can be horizontal or vertical or some

arbitrary angle in between. Earth scientists use the angle
of the fault with respect to the surface (known as the dip)
and the direction of slip along the fault to classify faults.
The slip refers to the relative motion of the rock on each side of
the fault with respect to the other side. Faults which move
along the direction of the dip plane are classified by the
Earth scientists as dip-slip faults and described as either
normal or reverse (thrust), depending on their motion.
Bending of rocks can be observed in dip-slip types of faults. This
movement can release a significant amount of energy, the
greater the bending of rocks, the greater the energy stored.

Faults which move horizontally are known as strike-slip faults and are classified as
either right-lateral or left-lateral.

Faults which show both dip-slip and strike-slip

motion are known as oblique-slip faults. An
oblique-slip fault is a type of fault where movement
occurs in both horizontal and vertical directions,
combining features of both strike-slip (horizontal) and
dip-slip (vertical) faults. In this kind of fault, the motion
along the fault plane is not purely parallel or
perpendicular to the fault, but rather a combination of
both.

An earthquake can occur with all this types of faulting.

 What are the types of faults and its basic responses to stress?

TYPES OF FAULTS DESCRIPTION

A dip-slip fault in which the block above the inclined fault
moves up relative to the block below the fault. This fault
motion is caused by compressional forces and results in
shortening. A reverse fault is called a thrust fault if the dip
of the fault plane is small.
Other names: reverse-slip fault or compressional fault.

A dip-slip fault in which the block above the inclined fault

moves down relative to the block
below the fault. This fault motion is caused by tensional
forces and results in in extension.
Other names: normal-slip fault, tensional fault or gravity
fault.

Strike- Slip fault A strike slip fault is created when two blocks of rocks that
move, and their motion is relative to each other. If the block on
the far side of the fault moves to the left, the fault is called
left-lateral (sinistral). If it moves to the right, the fault is
called right-lateral (dextral). West valley fault system runs
through Metro Manila. This 129.47 km long fracture on the ground
is expected to generate a magnitude of 7 or higher. It is classified
as dextral right-lateral strike slip fault. The fault motion
of a strike-slip fault is caused by shearing forces.
Other names: transcurrent fault, wrench fault, or lateral
fault.

11. Bending of rocks can be observed in dip-slip types of faults. How the bending of rocks along a
fault affects the surrounding?

12. How is West Valley Fault created?

Describe the different types of fault, write only the letter of your answer from
the choices below.

13.____ 14. __ 15.___

A. A fault on which the two blocks slide past one another. One on which the
displacement of the far block is to the left or to the right when viewed from either
side.
B. A dip-slip fault in which the upper block, above the fault plane, moves up and
over the lower block.
C. A dip-slip fault in which the block above the fault has moved downward relative
to the block below.

16. An earthquake can occur with __________

faulting.

17. What type of fault is illustrated in the image below

if you are standing on side B?
For numbers 18-19, use the illustration/diagram:
18. What type of faulting is illustrated in this diagram?

19. Point C is called the ___________.

20. Jala, a grade 8 student constructed a fault model where the hanging wall is displaced upward
relative to the foot wall. Identify the type of fault Jala made.