ASBOG Practice Exam

In a strike-slip fault, the primary feature that is affected is the horizontal position of the fault sides. This type of fault occurs when two blocks of the Earth's crust slide past each other horizontally due to tectonic forces. The movement along a strike-slip fault results in lateral displacement, meaning that points on either side of the fault will shift sideways relative to each other. This horizontal displacement can occur with little to no vertical movement, which distinguishes strike-slip faults from other types, such as normal or reverse faults. In normal and reverse faults, the movement can significantly alter both the surface topography and the vertical orientation of rock layers. However, in the case of strike-slip faults, the main impact is on the horizontal alignment of geological features across the fault line. While options discussing surface topography, rock layers' depth, and vertical measurements may be indirectly related to the effects of strike-slip faults, they do not capture the primary characteristic of this fault type, which is the lateral movement that alters the relative horizontal positioning of the rocks on either side of the fault. Thus, understanding the unique mechanics of strike-slip faults emphasizes the importance of horizontal displacement in the context of geological processes.