What is a rift valley kid definition?
: an elongated valley formed by the depression of a block of the earth’s crust between two faults or groups of faults of approximately parallel orientation.
What is the Great Rift Valley kids?
The Great Rift Valley is a name given to the continuous geographical trench, about 6,000 kilometres (3,700 mi) in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in East Africa. The rift is bordered by a series of mountains and active volcanoes. It is a site of faults and earthquakes.
What do you mean by Rift Valley?
A rift valley is a lowland region formed by the interaction of Earth’s tectonic plates. This small rift valley has a typical formation—long, narrow, and deep. Rift valleys are found both on land and at the bottom of the ocean, where they are created by the process of seafloor spreading.
What is an example of a rift valley?
The East African Rift, the Baikal Rift Valley, the West Antarctic Rift, and the Rio Grande Rift are Earth’s major active continental rift valleys. The Baikal Rift Valley (sometimes called the Baikal Rift Zone) cuts through 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) of Siberia, in eastern Russia.
How rift valley was formed?
Rifts are formed as a result of the pulling apart of the lithosphere due to extensional tectonics. The linear depression may subsequently be further deepened by the forces of erosion. More generally the valley is likely to be filled with sedimentary deposits derived from the rift flanks and the surrounding areas.
How old is the Great Rift Valley?
30 million years old
It is 30 million years old and exhibits extensive volcanism, having produced Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. The Great Rift Valley is a series of connected rift valleys.
Which is longest rift valley in the world?
List
| World | Rift/Valley | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Earth | Great Rift Valley | 6,000 km (3,700 mi) |
| Canadian Arctic Rift System | 4,800 km (3,000 mi) | |
| West Antarctic Rift System | ||
| Midcontinent Rift System | 2,000 km (1,200 mi) |
Why is the rift valley important to Africa?
The system of rift valleys that characterizes the African continent represents a perfect environment to understand the evolution of mankind; for the important paleoanthropological discoveries in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire, the African rift valleys are indeed considered the “cradle of mankind”, that is …
What is rift valley in one sentence?
Both east and west the walls of the rift-valley are close to the lake,the water in many places washing the base of the cliffs. Its sources are along the watershed close to the eastern wall of the eastern rift-valley, and it enters the Indian Ocean in 2° 40′ S., about 1 ro m. …
What caused the rift valley?
Geologists know that the Rift Valley was formed by violent subterranean forces that tore apart the earth’s crust. These forces caused huge chunks of the crust to sink between parallel fault lines and force up molten rock in volcanic eruptions.
How is a rift valley formed for kids?
tectonic activity creates rift valleys Rift valleys are not caused by erosion but are created by tectonic activity. The valleys form when continental crust is pulling apart allowing the land to drop down between parallel faults. These valleys also form when oceanic plates are moving apart forming a divergent boundary.
Why is the Rift Valley important to Africa?
Which is the most famous Rift Valley in the world?
The most well-known rift valley on Earth is probably the so-called ” Great Rift Valley System ” which stretches from the Middle East in the north to Mozambique in the south. The area is geologically active, and features volcano es, hot spring s, geyser s, and frequent earthquake s.
Where does the Jordan Rift Valley start and end?
The Jordan Rift Valley stretches from the Golan Heights, near Israel’s border with Syria and Lebanon, to the Dead Sea, to the Gulf of Aqaba—an inlet of the Red Sea that separates the Sinai Peninsula from the Arabian Peninsula. Associated with the Jordan Rift Valley to the south is the Red Sea Rift.
How is the Rift Valley and the Red Sea connected?
The Indian Ocean flooded the rift valley between the continents, creating the Red Sea. Today, Africa and Asia are connected by the triangle of the Sinai Peninsula. Eventually, the Red Sea Rift will separate Africa and Asia entirely and connect the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
How did the Indian Ocean cause the Rift Valley?
Seafloor spreading caused the Arabian and African plates to rift apart. The Indian Ocean flooded the rift valley between the continents, creating the Red Sea. Today, Africa and Asia are connected by the triangle of the Sinai Peninsula. Eventually, the Red Sea Rift will separate Africa and Asia entirely and connect the Mediterranean and Red Seas.