Question

The image shows the Great Rift Valley in Africa, an example of a rift valley.

A rift valley.

Which statements best describe how the Great Rift Valley in Africa formed? Check all that apply.

The rift valley formed when the crust pulled apart.
The rift valley formed at a divergent boundary.
The rift valley formed similarly to an island arc.
The rift valley formed at a convergent boundary.
The rift valley formed when tectonic plates separated.

Answer 1

The rift valley formed when the crust pulled apart. The rift valley formed at a divergent boundary. Divergent boundaries occur when two adjacent convection currents in the mantle are spinning in opposite directions

Answer 2

Options (1), (2) and (5)

Step-by-step explanation:

Rifts are initially generated due to the divergent plate motion, as a result of which the lithosphere becomes thin and the magma erupts on the surface of the ocean floor, and subsequently, the new materials are added to the crust. This rift eventually turns into a valley over millions of years, which is commonly known as the rift valley. This rift valley later forms a large sea or oceanic body.

The Great rift valley in Africa is one of the famous geological features on earth.

It is present in the eastern part of the African continent and is formed due to the opposite movement of the crustal blocks, where the tectonic forces acting on it are in the opposite direction.

Thus, the correct answers are options (1), (2) and (5).