FAULTING

1994:a) Name three types of faults. (3 marks)

 Normal fault
 Reverse fault
 Tear/ shear fault/ slip/ transform/ wrench/ strike slip
 Thrust fault
 Antclinal fault

b) i) With the aid of well labelled diagrams, explain how compressional forces can lead to the formation of a rift
valley. (7 marks)
 Layers of rocks are subjected to compressional forces then there is some instability within the earth crust.
 Lines of weakness develop to form reverse faults.
 The compressional forces push the outer blocks towards each other.
 The middle block may remain static but at a lower level/sunk forming the floor of the Rift Valley
 The overhanging parts of the outer blocks eventually collapse/ are eroded to form an escarpment. m an
escarpment.

ii) Give two examples of Horst Mountains in East Africa. (2 marks)

 Pare
 Usambara
 Ruwenzori

c) Explain two ways in which features resulting from faulting are of economic importance. (4 marks)
 Blocks / horst mountains are a source of rivers which provide water for industrial/ domestic, agricultural, HEP
production.

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  Rift valley formation has led to exposure of minerals such as diatomites/ soda ash which are mined on the rift
valley floor.
 Mountains formed through faulting attract rain on the wind sides which favour agriculture activities / settlements
 Rift valley lakes are important fishing grounds, provide water for irrigation, transportation.
 Faulted features such as rift valleys provide beautiful scenery which promotes tourism industry.

d) You intend to carry out a field study of the landforms around your school.
i) State three objectives of your study. (3 marks)

 To identify landforms formed as a result of faulting.

 To identify importance of the landforms to the environment
 To find out the problems associated with the landforms to the environment.
ii) State three methods you would use to record the information you would collect. (3 marks)
 Taking photographs
 Tallying - Field sketching
 Tape recording - Note taking
 Tabulation - Labeling samples
 Filling in questionnaires
iii) What problems are you likely to face during the field study? (3 marks)
 Accidents slipping
 Difficulties in climbing descending steep rocks
 Hindrance by poor weather conditions
 Attacks by wild animals

1996: The block diagram below represents part of the earth’s crust which has been subjected to tensional forces.

a) Name (i) the slope marked A(1mk)

A-Heave/Escarpment

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(ii) The angle marked B-hade (2mks)

The angle marked B-hade

b) State three ways in which faulting can influence drainage systems.(3mk)

 Vertical faulting across a river may cause waterfall

 Rift faulting in an enclosed area may lead to formation of a lake if rivers drain into the basin/inland
drainage
 Some rivers flow along fault lines/fault guided drainage
 Uplifting of landscape which leads to faulting may cause rivers to change their direction of flow. (Any
2x1= 2mks)

2002: The diagram below represents features produced by faulting. Use it to answer questions that follow.

a) Name the features marked P, Q, and R

P - Horst block
Q - Rift valley
R - Fault scarp / escarpment

b) Differentiate between a normal faulty and a reverse fault.

• In a normal fault part of the fault is exposed to form an escarpment when in a reverse fault the plane the plane is not
exposed.
• A normal fault is cause by tensional forces while a reverse fault occurs due to Compressional forces.
• In a normal fault, the up throw move away from down throw while in a reverse fault the up throw moves over down
throw.

2004: i) A part from the Rift Valley name two other relief features that were formed as result of faulting.
 Tilt block
 Escarpment/scrap slope
 Block mountain/ horsts Any 2x1=2mks

(ii) With the aid of a well labeled diagram, describe how a Rift Valley is formed by tensional forces. (8mks)

 Layers of rocks are subjected to tensional forces when there is some instability within the earth’s crust.
 Parallel normal faults develop/lines of weakness develop.
 The middle part gradually sinks/ subsides.

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  The sunken middle part forms a depression known as the Rift Valley

b)Explain four effects of faulting (8mks)

 Faulting / fault scraps make it difficult to construct roads/ railways.

 Depression in the Rift valley contain water that forms lakes
 Faulting exposes minerals such as diatomite
 Step faulting makes rivers to have water falls, rapids and cataracts - The scrap slopes / steep slopes tend to
discourage settlement.
 Some rivers such as the Katonga in Uganda have had their directions of flow changed. (Any 4 x 2 = 8 mks) .
c) Students are planning to carry out a field study of an area affected by faulting
i)State four reasons why it is important for the students to have a pre-visit of the area(4mks)

 To enable them draw up study objectives / hypothesis

 To familiarize themselves with the area of study
 To enable them draw a route map
 To enable them prepare a work schedule / plan of activities
 To enable them identify / sort our relevant tools / equipment for the study
 To identify suitable methods of data collection
 To seek permission from the occupants of their site of study.
 To enable them prepare financial (Any 4x1 = 4mks)

(ii) One of the ways they would use to collect data is through direct observation. Give three disadvantages of direct
observation in the studyof such an area.(3mks)

 It is expensive
 It is time consuming
 It is tiresome

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  It is limited only to direct sources / primary sources
 It is only suitable to the signed people (Any 3x1 =3 mks)

2009: (a) (i) Name three type of faults

 Normal fault
 reverse fault
 Tear/ shear fault/ slip/ transform/ wrench/ strike slip
 Thrust fault
 Ant clinical fault
(ii) Apart from compression forces explain two other processes that may Cause faulting
 Faulting may be caused by force acting horizontally away from each other which cause tension in the
crystal rocks. Due to tensional forces the rocks stretch and fracture causing faults
 Faulting may occur where horizontal forces act parallel to each other in the opposite/ same direction
resulting in shearing
 Faulting may also occur due to vertical movements which may exert a strain in the rocks making
them to fracture.

(b) With the aid of diagrams, describe how compression forces, may have led to the formation of the Great Rift Valley
 Layers of rocks are subjected to compressional forces then there is some instability within the earth crust.
 Lines of weakness develop to form reverse faults.
 The compressional forces push the outer blocks towards each other.
 The middle block may remain static but at a lower level/sunk forming the floor of the Rift Valley
 The overhanging parts of the outer blocks eventually collapse/ are eroded to form an escarpment. m an
escarpment.

(c) Explain five ways in which faulting is of significance to human activities

 Faulting leads to formation of features that form beautiful scenery which attract tourists
 Faulting leads to formation of lakes that are important fishing grounds/ tourists sites / mining sites/ provide water
for irrigation/ for domestic use/ industrial use.

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  Faulting causes displacement of rocks which exposes minerals that are mined
 Faulting may lead to the formation of mountains/ horst which attract rainfall that give rise to rivers which provide
water for industrial/ domestic/ agricultural use/ industrial use for production of H.E.P
 Block mountains formed through faulting lead to formation of relief rainfall on the windward side which favours
agriculture/ and settlement / forestry
 Subsidence of land as a result of faulting may lead to loss of life and property
 Springs occurring of the foist of fault scarps attract settlements
 Faulting creates deep faults which are passages of stream jets which may be utilized for geothermal power
production
 Rivers flowing over fault scarps may form waterfalls
 When faulting occurs across a ridge it may provide a dip which could form a mountain pass where transport and
communication lines can be constructed/ may hinder development of transport.

2022: The diagram below represents crustal rocks that have undergone Faulting process. Use it to answer question
2(a).

(a) Name the parts marked R,S and T. 3mks

 R-Hade
 S-Heave
 T-Down throw
(b). Give two processes by which Rift valleys are formed.
 Divergent/tensional.
 Convergent/compressional.
 Anticlinal arching/ up warping
2016: (a) (i) Name three types of faults. (3 marks)

❖ Normal fault,

❖ Reverse fault,

❖ Tear or shear or slip or transform or wrench or strike slip fault,

❖ Thrust fault,

❖ Anticlinal fault

(ii) Apart from compressional forces, explain two other processes that may cause faulting. (4 marks)

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❖ Faulting may be caused by force acting horizontally away from each other which causes tension in the crystal rocks.
Due to
tensional forces the rocks stretch and fracture causing faults.

❖ Faulting may occur where horizontal forces act parallel to each other in the opposite or same direction resulting in
shearing.

❖ Faulting may also occur due to vertical movements which may exert a strain in the rocks making them to fracture

(b)With the aid of diagrams, describe how compressional forces may have led to the formation of the Great Rift Valley.
(8marks)

 Layers of rocks are subjected to compressional forces then there is some instability within the earth crust.
 Lines of weakness develop to form reverse faults.
 The compressional forces push the outer blocks towards each other.
 The middle block may remain static but at a lower level/sunk forming the floor of the Rift Valley
 The overhanging parts of the outer blocks eventually collapse/ are eroded to form an escarpment. m an
escarpment.

(c) Explain five ways in which faulting is of significance to human activities. (10 marks)

❖ Faulting leads to formation of features that form beautiful scenery which attract tourists.

❖ Faulting leads to formation of lakes that are important fishing grounds or tourists’ sites or mining sites.

❖ The lakes provide water for irrigation or for domestic or industrial use.

❖ Faulting causes displacement of rocks which exposes minerals that are mined.

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❖ Faulting may lead to the formation of mountains or horsts which experience rainfall on the windward side that give
rise to rivers which provide water for industrial or domestic or agricultural or industrial use for production of
hydroelectric power.

❖ Block mountains formed through faulting lead to formation of relief rainfall on the windward side which favours
agriculture, settlements and forestry.

❖ Subsidence of land as a result of faulting may lead to loss of life and property.

❖ Springs occurring of the foot of fault scarps attract settlements.

❖ Faulting creates deep faults which are passages of stream jets which may be utilized for geothermal power production.

 Rivers flowing over fault scarps may form waterfalls which can be harnessed to produce Hydro Electric Power
for industries.

❖ When faulting occurs across a ridge it may provide a dip which could form a mountain pass where transport and
communication lines can be constructed or may hinder development of transport.
2015: 8. (a) (i) Apart from the Rift Valley, name three other relief features formed as a result of faulting. 2015
 Escarpments/scarp slopes.
 Tilt blocks.
 Fault steps.
 Block mountains/horst/fault block.Any 3 x 1 (3 marks)

(ii) With aid of diagrams, describe how the great Rift Valley may have been formed by tensional forces.
 Layers of rocks are subjected to tensional forces when there is some instability within the earth's crust.
 Parallel normal faults develop/lines of weakness develop.
 The middle part gradually sinks/ subsides.
 The sunken middle part forms a depression known as the Rift Valley

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 Diagram 4xl (4 marks)
Text 4xl (4 marks)
(b) Explain three ways in which faulting may influence drainage systems.

 Uplifting of landscape which leads to faulting may cause rivers to reverse their direction of flow/ back
tilting.
 Vertical faulting across a river may cause a change in the local base level resulting in the formation of a
waterfall.
 Basins/depressions resulting from faulting may be filled with water to form lakes/inland drainage
basins.
 Some rivers flow along fault lines forming fault guided drainage patterns. Some rivers may
disappear into the ground through a fault forming underground streams.
 Uplift of some river channels may cause river rejuvenation.
 Faulting may expose underground water leading to formation of springs.
o Any 3 x 2 (6 marks)

(c) Describe four ways in which features resulting from faulting are of significance to the economy of
Kenya.

 Highlands /fault blocks formed through faulting are sources of rivers which provide water for
agricultural/domestic/industrial use.
 Faulting leads to formation of features that form beautiful scenery which promote tourism.
 Faulting leads to the formation of lakes that are important fishing grounds/mining sites / irrigation.
 Faulting has led to exposure of minerals that are mined to generate income. The highlands formed through
faulting influence the formation of relief rainfall on the windward side which favours agriculture/forestry/
settlement.
 Formation of faults scarps creates deep faults which are passages of steam jets that are harnessed to generate
geothermal power.
 Fault scarps lead to the formation of natural waterfalls which are suitable sites for HEP production.
 Any 4 x 2 (8 marks)
2022: The diagram below shows some features formed as a result of faulting.

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(b) Identify the:
(i) angle marked J. (1 mark)
- Hade.
(ii) features marked K and L. (2 marks)
-K- tilt block.
- L - fault scarp /escarpment

2021: The diagram below shows rocks that have undergone the process of faulting use it to answer question.

(a) Name the parts marked R, S and T

✓R-Hade

✓S-heave

✓T-Downthrow
(b) Give two processes by which Rift valleys are formed

✓Crustal arching process

✓Crustal tension process

✓Crustal compression process

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