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Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Earth's Structure

Lithosphere

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/ˈlɪθəsfɪr/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, lithosphere means: The rigid outer shell of the Earth, made of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle. It is broken into tectonic plates and is typically around 100 km thick.

In Turkish: litosfer, taşküre

How it is used

Used when explaining plate tectonics. Note the difference: crust and mantle are layers defined by composition, while lithosphere and asthenosphere are defined by strength. Common phrases: oceanic lithosphere, continental lithosphere.

Example sentences

  1. Tectonic plates are pieces of the lithosphere.

  2. Old oceanic lithosphere is cold and dense, so it sinks easily.

Common collocations

  • oceanic lithosphere
  • continental lithosphere
  • the base of the lithosphere
  • lithospheric plate
  • asthenosphereThe hot, weak layer of the upper mantle just below the lithosphere, which can flow slowly and allows the tectonic plates above it to move.
  • crustThe thin, rocky outer layer of the Earth. It is about 5 to 10 km thick under the oceans and usually 30 to 50 km thick under the continents.
  • mantleThe thick layer of hot, mostly solid rock between the crust and the core, reaching a depth of about 2,900 km. It flows very slowly over millions of years.
  • tectonic plateOne of the large, rigid pieces of the Earth's lithosphere that move slowly over the mantle, usually by a few centimetres a year.

More terms: Earth's Structure

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