GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -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.

Detailed explanation-2: -The uppermost part of the mantle near the crust is hard and brittle. This layer and the Earth’s crust are known as the lithosphere, while the rest of the upper mantle below is called the asthenosphere. The rock here is malleable but still solid.

Detailed explanation-3: -The asthenosphere is part of the upper mantle, closest to the crust. The upper mantle is made of magma and hot silicon, iron, magnesium, and oxygen. Its texture is a thick, plasticky, fluid: not unlike half-dried glue. The lower mantle is made of the same materials as the upper mantle, but it is solid rock.

Detailed explanation-4: -The upper mantle is called asthenosphere, “astheno” is a Greek word meaning ‘weak’. It is called weak layer because it is in liquid state where rock material deforms more readily, and magma formation takes place.

Detailed explanation-5: -The lithosphere (litho:rock; sphere:layer) is the strong, upper 100 km of the Earth. The lithosphere is the tectonic plate we talk about in plate tectonics. The asthenosphere (a:without; stheno:strength) is the weak and easily deformed layer of the Earth that acts as a “lubricant” for the tectonic plates to slide over.