how does the position of a hanging wall relative to the footwall give evidence of the stress placed on a…

Brief Explanations:

In geology, faults are fractures in rock layers. The relationship between the hanging - wall and footwall indicates stress type. If the hanging - wall moves down relative to the footwall, it's a normal fault, caused by tensional stress pulling the rock apart. If the hanging - wall moves up relative to the footwall, it's a reverse fault, due to compressional stress pushing the rock together. Strike - slip faults, where the hanging - wall moves horizontally relative to the footwall, are caused by shear stress.

Answer:

The relative position of the hanging wall to the footwall indicates the type of stress. A down - moving hanging wall suggests tensional stress (normal fault), an up - moving hanging wall implies compressional stress (reverse fault), and horizontal movement indicates shear stress (strike - slip fault).