Rift valleys and river valleys?

Question

How can you tell the difference between the two?

Answer 1

Rifts are related to plate tectonics. It is where the plate is being pulled apart. This usually occurs in thirds. For example, the Rift Valley is one of these 'thirds' lines. The other two are what makes up the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. As the plates pull apart they get thinner and thinner and can even form a ridge if pulled apart enough. This is much like pulling apart a piece of playdough apart slowly, at least the part between each hand. You can usually spot rifts on a globe that has the raised mountain ranges. Or even large regional topographic maps. River valleys often form in these low lying areas, but you certainly can have more than one river valley in one rift area.

As for river valleys, the grand canyon is a great example of how the water cuts away at the earth carrying the material down stream and depositing it when the water either slows or stops. You don't see this with rifts, unless a river forms there. And even then, the material from the rift will be much older than that of the river.

I hope this helps

Answer 2

Rift valleys are low points in the crust caused by repetitive normal faulting. The crust is being pulled apart. Look up The Great Rift Valley in Africa.

River valleys are low points caused by a river eroding the sediments away. Water will always travel to the lowest topographical point, too.

Answer 3

A RIFT valley has been fashioned from an extended earthquake fault. A river valley hasn't.