▁are ▁the ▁full ▁thick ness ▁of ▁the ▁l ith os phere ▁are ▁called ▁micro plates . ▁Cont inent - s ized ▁blocks ▁are ▁called ▁various ly ▁micro cont in ents , ▁contin ental ▁rib b ons , ▁H - block s , ▁ext ensional ▁allo ch th ons ▁and ▁outer ▁high s . ▁ ▁Because ▁most ▁str esses ▁relate ▁to ▁the ▁t ect onic ▁activity ▁of ▁moving ▁pl ates , ▁most ▁motion ▁between ▁blocks ▁is ▁horizontal , ▁that ▁is ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁Earth ' s ▁cr ust ▁by ▁strike - s lip ▁fault s . ▁ ▁However ▁vertical ▁movement ▁of ▁blocks ▁produces ▁much ▁more ▁dram atic ▁results . ▁ ▁Land forms ▁( mount ains , ▁hills , ▁rid ges , ▁la kes , ▁valle ys , ▁etc .) ▁are ▁sometimes ▁formed ▁when ▁the ▁fault s ▁have ▁a ▁large ▁vertical ▁disp lacement . ▁ ▁Ad j acent ▁raised ▁blocks ▁( hor st s ) ▁and ▁down - dro pped ▁blocks ▁( gra b ens ) ▁can ▁form ▁high ▁esc arp ments . ▁ ▁O ften ▁the ▁movement ▁of ▁these ▁blocks ▁is ▁accompanied ▁by ▁til ting , ▁due ▁to ▁comp action ▁or ▁stretch ing ▁of ▁the ▁cr ust ▁at ▁that ▁point . ▁ ▁F ault - block ▁mountains ▁ ▁F ault - block ▁mountains ▁often ▁result ▁from ▁rif ting , ▁another ▁indicator ▁of ▁t ensional ▁t ect onic ▁forces . ▁These ▁can ▁be ▁small ▁or ▁form ▁extensive ▁r ift ▁valley ▁systems , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁East ▁African ▁R ift ▁zone . ▁Death ▁Valley ▁in ▁California