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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 that is not …

  2. 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).

  3. 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 bounded by the …

  4. A Complete Guide to Earth’s Lithosphere - Geology Base

    Nov 29, 2023 · The lithosphere is the Earth's outermost, rigid solid layer, with the crust and brittle upper mantle. It is divided into tectonic plates.

  5. 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 at various plate …

  6. 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 the surface, consisting …

  7. 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 to the …

  8. 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 the asthenosphere, …

  9. Lithosphere - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    A lithosphere (Ancient Greek: λίθος [lithos] for "rocky", and σφαίρα [sphaira] for "sphere") is the rigid, [1] outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet or natural satellite which is defined by its rigid mechanical …

  10. Lithosphere - New World Encyclopedia

    The lithosphere (from the Greek for "rocky" sphere) is the solid, outermost shell of a rocky planet. In the case of the Earth, the lithosphere includes the crust and the upper layer of the mantle that is joined to …