Final answer:
The ripple trim tool in video editing software allows you to trim a clip and automatically close the gap, preserving the duration of the edited video.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ripple trim tool in video editing software allows you to trim a clip and automatically close the gap, thereby preserving the overall duration of the edited video. This tool is useful when you want to remove a specific portion of a clip without affecting the timing of other clips in the timeline. For example, if you have a video with unnecessary content in the middle, you can use the ripple trim tool to remove that section and the gap will automatically be closed, keeping the rest of the clips in place.