Which of the following processes can lead to the formation of faults?

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The formation of faults primarily results from the process known as faulting, which occurs when the Earth's crust experiences stress, leading to a fracture along which movement has taken place. This movement can be the result of tectonic forces acting on rocks, which may cause them to break and slide past one another, creating a fault line. Essentially, faulting is a specific geological process that directly results in faults, making it the most relevant choice among the options provided.

In contrast, folding refers to the bending of rock layers due to compressional forces but does not involve the actual breaking of rocks, which is characteristic of faulting. Granulization is a term that generally refers to the process of breaking down rocks into smaller grains but does not specifically relate to fault formation. Weathering, on the other hand, is the process of breaking down rocks and minerals at the surface but does not involve the tectonic movements that create faults. Therefore, faulting is the correct answer because it directly describes the process responsible for the formation of faults.

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