Continental rifts are typically associated with which type of boundary?

Continental rifts are primarily found at divergent boundaries, where tectonic plates move away from each other. This process allows magma from the mantle to rise and create new lithosphere as the plates separate. In a continental rift, the stretching and thinning of the continental crust occur as the plates diverge, leading to the formation of rift valleys, which are characterized by deep trenches and volcanic activity as the crust breaks apart.

The geological processes involved in a continental rift include extensional tectonics, which is essential for the formation of such environments. In these settings, the crust experiences tension, resulting in faulting and the creation of new basins that can eventually evolve into ocean basins if the rifting continues.

Understanding that continental rifts are associated with divergent boundaries helps link the concepts of plate tectonics with surface geological features. It's a crucial aspect of how continents can split apart over geological time and pave the way for various forms of geological activity, including volcanism and earthquake activity.