Which distance is not used to describe throw?

• A. Vertical distance
• B. Horizontal distance
• C. Depth to the fault
• D. Distance along strike

Answer: (C)

Throw refers to the displacement between the two sides of a fault—the amount one block has moved relative to the other. This displacement is described mainly by vertical offset (how far up or down one side moved) and, for the horizontal component along the fault, by the distance that the blocks moved laterally (often called heave). The position along the fault where throw is measured is described by distance along strike, since throw can vary along the fault's length. Depth to the fault, however, is simply how deep the fault plane sits beneath the surface at a location; it does not quantify how far the blocks have moved relative to each other. So depth to the fault is not used to describe throw.