Normal faults are also known as dip-slip faults and reverse faults. These faults occur when the part of the land slips downward at an angle. When this occurs, an earthquake may occur. In models and diagrams, the normal fault can be seen by looking at the two sections of rock.
One section is at a higher level than the other with a crack split down the middle. There are two parts of the rock or block. One is the footwall and the other is the hanging wall. The tilt of the block may show if it is a normal fault. When looking at a large rocky cliff, sometimes you can see the crack or tilt in this block. Then if the hanging wall is downward, it could be a normal fault.
