footwall
geology
Quick Summary
In geology, the footwall refers to the lower wall of an inclined fault, vein, or coal seam. It is the opposite of the hanging wall, which is the upper or overhanging wall. In a normal fault, the hanging wall has moved down relative to the footwall. This terminology is crucial for understanding the displacement and structure of geological formations, particularly in mining and seismology.123
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
4 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

