A student used a yardstick to model elastic rebound. The student bent the stick without breaking it and then let the stock go. What does the bent stick represent in the student's model?

A. The Rock's original shape

B. A siesmic wave

C. The Rock's deformed shape

D. A fault formed

Elastic rebound is a theory that explains the energy of an earthquake. The movements of the tectonic plates along the fault line causes the rock formation to bend and deform. When it reaches the maximum strain of the deformation, the strain releases and it goes back to its original form causing an earthquake as a result. That is why scientists could predict the magnitude of the earthquake. However, you will never know when this will happen because tectonic plates movement is unpredictable.

Thus, the bent stick symbolizes the shape of the deformed rock. The answer is C.