117k views
0 votes
What seafloor feature, that we previously learned about, is related to a central rift valley?

User Vivo
by
7.3k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The seafloor feature related to a central rift valley is the mid-ocean ridge, such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where tectonic plates diverge and form new crust. The Great Rift Valley in East Africa is an on-land example where the African Plate is splitting. Plate tectonics and the creation and destruction of crust are significantly influenced by these rift zones.

Step-by-step explanation:

The seafloor feature related to a central rift valley is the mid-ocean ridge, which is a direct result of the tectonic plates pulling apart along rift zones. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a prominent example where such a feature exists. Rift valleys can also be found on land, with the most famous being the Great Rift Valley in East Africa, which evidences the split of the African Plate into the Somalian Plate and the Nubian Plate. This rift has led to the formation of various geographical features such as highlands and deep water lakes, such as Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria.

Oceanic basaltic lava rises to fill the space between diverging plates at these rift zones, creating new crust and the youngest geological features on our planet. The rift zones are mostly under the oceans, but they can also extend to land, as seen with the eastern branch of the African Rift that runs from Mozambique to the Red Sea. The cycle of plate tectonics involves both the creation and destruction of crust, with rift and subduction zones playing key roles in this dynamic process.

User Neal Richardson
by
8.7k points