A rift valley is a lowland region formed by the divergence of tectonic plates, characterized by steep sides and a central depression. These valleys often occur at divergent plate boundaries where the Earth's lithosphere is being pulled apart, leading to the formation of new crust as magma rises from below. Rift valleys provide insight into the processes of seafloor spreading, the characteristics of plate boundaries, and the mechanisms driving plate motion, as they exemplify how tectonic activity shapes the Earth's surface.
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