Types of Stress in Crustal Rock

There are three types of stress that occur in the crustal rock—tension, compression and shearing. Over long periods of geologic time, stress causes the earth's surface to slowly change.

When two tectonic plates are moving away from each other, tension pulls and stretches rock.

When two tectonic plates are pushing toward each other, compression squeezes rock, causing it to fold or break.

Shearing stress occurs when two blocks of rock are pushing in opposite directions. This sliding motion can cause rock to change shape or break.