ASBOG Practice Exam

What type of components does an oblique-slip fault include?

1. Only dip-slip

2. Only strike-slip

3. Both strike-slip and dip-slip

4. None of the above

The correct answer is: Both strike-slip and dip-slip

An oblique-slip fault includes both strike-slip and dip-slip components. This type of fault exhibits movement that is a combination of horizontal displacement (strike-slip) and vertical displacement (dip-slip). When a fault is described as oblique-slip, it means that the fault plane is oriented in a way that the rock masses on either side of the fault not only move past each other laterally but also exhibit upward or downward movement. In geological terms, dip slip pertains to the movement occurring along the inclination of the fault, while strike slip relates to the horizontal movement parallel to the fault line. The conceptualization of oblique-slip faults is crucial because many faults in nature do not conform strictly to the categories of pure dip-slip or pure strike-slip, but rather, they combine aspects of both. This helps geologists accurately analyze stress, strain, and potential earthquake hazards in a given region. The other options focus solely on one type of slip, which does not accurately describe the behavior of oblique-slip faults. Understanding oblique-slip faults is vital for assessing tectonic activity and predicting geological events.