Divergent boundaries are locations where two tectonic plates move away from each other. The landforms created by divergent boundaries include:

• Rift Valleys: These are valleys that form when the divergent boundaries are on land. As the plates move apart, the brittle rock of the lithosphere cracks and forms a rift. Faults develop on either side of the rift, and the rift between the faults begins to sink as the gap continues to widen. The sinking land forms a rift valley that, with water from streams and rivers, eventually forms a long lake. If the rift drops below sea level, it fills with ocean water and becomes a sea.

• Mid-Oceanic Ridges: These are underwater mountain ranges that form when the divergent boundaries are on the ocean floor. As the plates move apart, magma rises from deep within the Earth and erupts to form new crust on the lithosphere. Most divergent plate boundaries are underwater and form submarine mountain ranges called oceanic spreading ridges.

Examples of landforms created from divergent plates include the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (in the ocean) and the Great Rift Valley (on land) .