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Nov 29, 2023 · The lithosphere is the solid, outer part of Earth. The lithosphere includes the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust, the outermost layers of Earth’s structure. It is bounded by the atmosphere above and the asthenosphere (another part of the upper mantle) below.
Lithosphere. A lithosphere (from Ancient Greek λίθος (líthos) 'rocky' and σφαίρα (sphaíra) 'sphere') is the rigid, [1] outermost rocky shell of a terrestrial planet or natural satellite. On Earth, it is composed of the crust and the lithospheric mantle, the topmost portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales ...
Oct 24, 2024 · rock. geochemical cycle. lithosphere, rigid, rocky outer layer of Earth, consisting of the crust and the solid outermost layer of the upper mantle. It extends to a depth of about 60 miles (100 km). It is broken into about a dozen separate, rigid blocks, or plates (see plate tectonics). crustal generation and destruction Three-dimensional ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Why Is It called lithosphere?
- History of The Lithosphere Concept
- Composition of The Lithosphere
- Importance of The Lithosphere
The term lithosphere has been derived from the Greek words lithos, which means rocks or stones, and sphaeros, which means sphere. The lithosphere or rocksphere thus refers to the hard and rocky outer layer of the Earth, made up of the crust and the upper mantle. The lithosphere can extend up to a depth of over 100 km. Below the lithosphere lies the...
The concept of the lithosphere as a strong outer layer of the Earth was first put forward by the English mathematician Augustus Edward Hough Love in his 1911 monograph. The concept was further developed by the American geologist Joseph Barrell, who introduced the term lithosphere. The Canadian geologist Reginald Aldworth Daly strengthened these con...
The composition of the lithosphere varies depending on whether it is located on land or under the oceans. It is known that the Earth’s crust is not homogeneous and is composed of different layers of rock, including sedimentary (at the top), metamorphic (at the middle), and basaltic rocks (at the bottom). Moreover, the lithosphere is broken into sev...
Being one of the major spheres of the Earth, the lithosphere aids greatly for life to flourish on the planet. The lithosphere’s uppermost portion that chemically interacts with the other three spheres is called the pedosphere. Besides being a rich source of minerals, the lithosphere provides our forests, grasslands, agricultural lands, and lands fo...
Apr 8, 2022 · The lithosphere is the outermost layer of Earth, composed of the crust and the brittle part of the upper mantle. The term lithosphere is derived from the Greek words "lithos," meaning stone, and ...
Nov 29, 2023 · November 29, 2023 by Mcnair, B. The lithosphere is the outermost, rigid, solid layer of the Earth. It is like the shell of a coconut or egg. Location-wise, this layer lies above the asthenosphere and below the atmosphere, ice, or water bodies. An asthenosphere is a weaker, ductile layer. By ductile, we mean it stretches or deforms under stress.
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Nov 29, 2023 · The lithosphere is the solid, outer part of the Earth. It includes the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust, the planet's outermost layers. The lithosphere is located below the atmosphere and above the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is made of melted rock that gives it a thick, sticky consistency.