A normal dip slip fault is primarily caused by extensional stress. This type of stress occurs when the Earth’s crust is pulled apart, leading to the creation of spaces or gaps. In this scenario, one block of rock (the hanging wall) moves downward relative to the block below (the footwall).
The forces that create this extensional stress can come from tectonic plate movements, where divergent boundaries are present. At such boundaries, two tectonic plates are moving away from each other, allowing for the formation of normal faults as the crust thins and stretches.
In summary, normal dip slip faults are a result of extensional stress that pulls apart the geological materials, allowing one section to slip downwards when comparing to another, thus altering the landscape and affecting geological formations.