1. the rigid outer layer of the Earth consisting of the crust and upper mantle
Usage: geology

Examples

• The lithosphere is broken into several large tectonic plates.
• Earthquakes occur when sections of the lithosphere move against each other.
• The oceanic lithosphere is thinner than the continental lithosphere.
• Scientists study the lithosphere to understand plate tectonics.
• The lithosphere floats on the more fluid asthenosphere below.
• Volcanic activity can create new lithosphere at mid-ocean ridges.