lithosphere
Rigid outer layer
The lithosphere is Earth's rigid outer shell—the crust and uppermost mantle that forms the solid ground beneath our feet.
It consists of tectonic plates that float on the more fluid asthenosphere below.
The lithosphere is broken into about fifteen major plates.
The term appears in geology and earth science contexts, contrasting with atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
Fine-grained volcanic stone
- graniteIgneous rock, quartz-rich
- silicatesSilicon-oxygen bonded minerals
- mineralsInorganic natural solids
- igneousFormed from cooled magma
metamorphic · sedimentary · feldspar · quartz · mica · gabbro · olivine · pyroxene
Edges of crustal sections
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- continental driftGradual landmass repositioning
- convergenceProcess of approaching sameness
- divergenceSeparation from common origin
volcanism · orogeny · Pangaea · trench · mid-ocean ridge · geodynamics · rifting · collision zone
Study of rock layers
- petrologyScientific study of rocks
- seismologyStudy of ground tremors
- geochemistryEarth's chemical makeup science
- geochronologyStudy of geological ages
craton · geomorphology · sedimentation · geophysics · geoscience · seismic waves · borehole · drilling
Planet's outermost solid layer
- tectonic platesMobile crustal sections
- mantleCovering or wrap
- asthenosphereDuctile upper mantle layer
- continental crustGranitic lithosphere under landmasses
Planet's total water mass
- biosphereAll life on Earth
- cryosphereEarth's frozen water systems
- carbon cycleBiogeochemical element circulation process
- soil formationHow dirt develops naturally
basalt
Fine-grained volcanic stone
- graniteIgneous rock, quartz-rich
- silicatesSilicon-oxygen bonded minerals
- mineralsInorganic natural solids
igneous · metamorphic · sedimentary · feldspar · quartz · mica · gabbro · olivine · pyroxene · amphibole
plate boundaries
Edges of crustal sections
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- continental driftGradual landmass repositioning
- convergenceProcess of approaching sameness
divergence · volcanism · orogeny · Pangaea · trench · mid-ocean ridge · geodynamics · rifting · collision zone · accretionary wedge
stratigraphy
Study of rock layers
- petrologyScientific study of rocks
- seismologyStudy of ground tremors
- geochemistryEarth's chemical makeup science
geochronology · craton · geomorphology · sedimentation · geophysics · geoscience · seismic waves · borehole · drilling · core samples
earth's crust
Planet's outermost solid layer
- tectonic platesMobile crustal sections
- mantleCovering or wrap
- asthenosphereDuctile upper mantle layer
hydrosphere
Planet's total water mass
- biosphereAll life on Earth
- cryosphereEarth's frozen water systems
- carbon cycleBiogeochemical element circulation process
- Earthearth, Earth, globe, continent, axis
- earth scienceearthquake, geology, volcano, crust, eruption
- geologybedrock, fault lines, faults, rock, basalt
- Physical Sciencesphysics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, meteorology
- layered thingslasagna, cake, onion, layer cake, plywood
- Earth Sciencesgeology, geoscience, earth science, meteorology, oceanography
lithosphereasthenosphere
Ductile upper mantle layer
mantle · outer core · inner core · magma · mesosphere
lithospherehydrosphere
Planet's total water mass
atmosphere · biosphere · cryosphere · magnetosphere · geosphere
sphere, atmosphere, spherical, monolith, monolithic, megalith, stratosphere, megalithic, paleolithic