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Why does Death Valley have a steep eastern side and a gentler western side?

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Snow-capped, rugged Atlas Mountains encircle a green valley with scattered trees, terraced fields, and a few small buildings in Morocco. — valley The rugged Atlas Mountains surround a valley in Morocco.

Death Valley is an asymmetrical rift valley characterized by a very steep eastern margin and a gentler western edge. This unique topography is the result of specific tectonic processes occurring within the Earth's crust.

The steep eastern side is formed by a major fault along which the valley floor is actively sinking. This rapid downward movement along the eastern edge creates the valley's dramatic drop, leading to the formation of Badwater Basin, which contains the lowest point in North America.

Conversely, the western side lacks a major bounding fault. Instead, the gentler slope is created by the flexing of the lithosphere and the tilting of the surface. Essentially, the valley floor is rotating about an axis located to the west, causing the eastern side to sink more rapidly while the western side maintains a more gradual incline.1