What is the importance of folding and faulting?

Faulting happens when the Earth’s crust completely breaks and slides past each other. Rocks along a fault tend to move in opposite directions. Folding leads to the development of fold mountains. For e.g., the Himalayas, the Alps, etc. Folding is a type of earth movement resulting from the horizontal compression of rock layers by internal forces of the earth along plate boundaries. Upfolds are termed as anticlines. The downfolds are termed synclines. Faulting results in the formation of block mountains like black forest mountains etc. and right valleys like the Narmada, Tapi, etc.

Further Reading:

• Difference Between Folding and Faulting
• Geomorphic Processes