FAULTS AND

MOUNTAINS

VOCABULARY Fault- a break along which the rock on

either side moves. Hanging wall- the rock on the side of

the fault that is on top of the fault (in non-vertical faults).

Footwall- is the rock under the fault (in non-vertical faults).

NORMAL FAULTS

Normal Faults- in a normal fault the hanging wall moves downward (the rock on top of the fault).

REVERSE FAULT Reverse Faults- in a reverse fault the

hanging wall moves upward.

THRUST FAULTS

Thrust Faults- a reverse fault that the plane of the fault is almost horizontal.

STRIKE-SLIP FAULTS Strike-Slip Faults- the rock slips side to side

instead of up and down.

PLATE TECTONICS AND MOUNTAINS Collisions between Oceanic and Continental Crust When oceanic crust subducts under the

continental crust there is such a large deformation of rock that high mountains are formed.

Subduction of oceanic crust causing melting at the subduction zone and the magma may erupt to form volcanic mountains.

When the oceanic crust subducts pieces called terranes may be scraped off and form mountains.

PLATE TECTONICS AND MOUNTAINS Collisions Between Oceanic Crust and

Oceanic Crust Volcanoes often form where two

oceanic crusts collideThe Mariana Islands

PLATE TECTONICS AND MOUNTAINS Collisions Between

Continents When two continental plates

collide the continental crust of either continent does not subduct.

Because of this the crust is pushed UP between the two continents to form mountains like the Himalayas (where Mt Everest is).