Which of the following are characteristics of continental rifting?

Continental rifting is characterized by the stretching and thinning of the continental crust that can lead to the formation of a rift valley. As the crust stretches, it causes large blocks of the Earth's crust to break and drop down into a lower position, a process known as faulting. This results in a series of linear depressions or rift valleys. The dropping of these crustal blocks is a direct consequence of this stretching, which makes this characteristic a defining aspect of the rifting process.

In rift zones, as magma rises from the mantle, it contributes to the uplift and thinning of the crust. However, the key feature of this phenomenon is the creation of tilted blocks of crust, which drop down along faults, leading to the distinctive rift valley landscapes. This geological activity is what distinguishes continental rifting from other tectonic processes. Therefore, the correct answer reflects an essential aspect of how continental rifting operates in the geological context.