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  1. Lithosphere - Wikipedia

    Earth's lithosphere, which constitutes the hard and rigid outer vertical layer of the Earth, includes the crust and the lithospheric mantle (or mantle lithosphere), the uppermost part of the mantle …

  2. Lithosphere - National Geographic Society

    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 …

  3. Lithosphere | Definition & Facts | Britannica

    Nov 27, 2025 · 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). The …

  4. Earth's lithosphere | Research Starters - EBSCO

    The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of Earth, extending about 100 kilometers deep, and is divided into roughly ten major tectonic plates. These plates float atop a semi-fluid layer called …

  5. Lithosphere - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

    An essential feature of plate tectonics is that only the outer shell of the earth, the lithosphere, remains rigid during long intervals of geologic time. Because of their low temperatures, rocks …

  6. Lithosphere Definition - Intro to Geology Key Term | Fiveable

    The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, composed of the crust and the uppermost portion of the mantle. It plays a crucial role in the movement of tectonic plates, which interact …

  7. Basic Geology/Lithosphere - Wikibooks

    Dec 8, 2019 · The lithosphere is the surface layer of the fluid parts of the Earth's convection system, therefore it thickens over time. It is broken up into pieces called plates (shown in the …

  8. LITHOSPHERE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    The meaning of LITHOSPHERE is the solid part of a celestial body (such as the earth); specifically : the outer part of the solid earth composed of rock essentially like that exposed at …

  9. The Earth's Layers Lesson #1 | Volcano World

    The Four Layers The Earth is composed of four different layers. Many geologists believe that as the Earth cooled the heavier, denser materials sank to the center and the lighter materials rose …

  10. Structure of the lithosphere

    Sep 5, 2000 · The lithosphere is the cold, rigid outer layers, and is composed of the crust and the outermost portion of the mantle. The underlying asthenosphere is all ultramafic mantle, but it is …