What is formed when rifting continues?

When rifting continues, it involves the tectonic plates moving apart, creating a space that eventually fills with water, leading to the formation of a narrow ocean. This process begins with the stretching of the continental crust, which results in the formation of rift valleys. As the rifting progresses over geological time, the gap widens and can fill with seawater, effectively becoming an ocean basin.

The formation of a narrow ocean is associated with divergent plate boundaries, where tectonic plates are moving away from each other. As the rift zone expands, it creates a new ocean floor through volcanic activity and seafloor spreading. This process is exemplified by the East African Rift, which is currently in the rifting stage and may eventually evolve into a new ocean when the rifting is complete.

In contrast, while a plateau, mountain range, or valley could potentially relate to tectonic activity, they do not specifically represent the outcome of continuous rifting in the way that a narrow ocean does. A plateau typically forms from uplifted terrain, a mountain range can arise from converging plates, and a valley may form through erosion or other processes but does not signify the oceanic formation associated with rifting.