What type of fault involves the hanging wall moving down?

A normal fault is characterized by the hanging wall moving downward relative to the footwall. This movement occurs due to extensional forces that pull the earth's crust apart. In a normal fault, as the crust is stretched, the rocks above the fault plane (the hanging wall) slide downwards while those below (the footwall) remain relatively stationary. This type of faulting is commonly found at divergent boundaries, where tectonic plates are moving away from each other. The hanging wall's downward movement creates space in the Earth's crust, often leading to the formation of structures such as rift valleys. Understanding the mechanics of a normal fault is essential in the study of geology, particularly in the context of stress and strain in the Earth's lithosphere.