But surface ruptures caused by a fault don't necessarily run in a straight line or fit in a regularly shaped area. Like a piece of glass, the earth along a fault doesn't shatter cleanly: the lines zigzag and the fragmentation is irregular.
地震發生後，斷層不一定只沿一個帶狀、或面破裂，正如一片破碎的玻璃，不會破的那麼均勻，破裂之處會出現分叉、碎裂。