|
Can you see where the layers on the left are lower than the layers on the right ? |
The H&K Quarry has a fault that formed thousands of years ago. Here is how faults form and some examples of faults. Cracks often form in the earth's crust. These cracks are called faults. Faults can also occur at the seams between crystal plates. |
Many faults can't be seen because they are underground. When two plates rub past one another they sometimes stick and pressure builds up. Eventually the pressure becomes so great that the rocks break and an earthquake occurs. The San Andreas Fault is one of the biggest faults in the world and has been the site of many earthquakes. The energy released from an earthquake travels away from the fault in seismic waves. Instruments called seismographs detect and measure the movements in the earth's crust.
| ROCKS & MINERALS HOMEPAGE | SEDIMENTARY ROCK | FAULTS |
| TYPES OF ROCKS | SEDIMENTARY ROCK PILES | SAN ANDREAS FAULT |
