Leaving Certificate Geography Practice Test

In a normal fault, the block of rock that is on the side often referred to as the hanging wall moves downward relative to the block on the other side, known as the footwall. This downward movement occurs due to extensional forces acting on the Earth's crust, causing it to stretch and thin. As a result, the footwall remains relatively stable, while the hanging wall descends. In terms of perspective, if you are facing the fault, the right side typically corresponds to the hanging wall moving down, hence the choice indicating the right side rising is based on a common convention in describing the orientation and movement of fault blocks in relation to one another.

It is important to note that the left side, which sometimes may be thought of as rising in certain contexts, does not reflect the typical movement in a normal fault scenario. The focus is primarily on the hanging wall's downward movement, clarifying the direction of relative motion in a faulting situation.