This lesson tackles about lithosphere, the layers of the Earth and the plate tectonics.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify the components of lithosphere

2. determine how Earth is capable of supporting life
3. explain the concept behind plate tectonic theory
4. differentiate plate boundaries

Let’s Read
Every rocky planet has a lithosphere, but what is lithosphere? The lithosphere is the solid and
most rigid outer part of the Earth, including the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust.

Figure 1. Lithosphere

By introducing the lithosphere, we mentioned Earth. What is Earth?

Earth, otherwise known as the world, is the third planet from the Sun
and the only object in the Universe known to harbor life. It is the densest
planet in the Solar system and the largest of the four terrestrial planets.

Figure 2. The Earth

What is unique about Earth?

⮚ The existence of water at the Earth‘s surface – neither too much nor too little – that is in liquid
form.
⮚ Proximity to the sun – neither too much heat nor too little.
 ⮚ The right size – large enough to hang on to its atmosphere.

⮚ Its protection by ―Big Brother Jupiter‖, whose gravity helps divert and vacuum up incoming
debris and keep Earth safe.

Layers of the Earth

Earth is composed of four distinct layers. They are, from deepest to shallowest, the inner core, the
outer core, the mantle and the crust.

Figure 3. Layers of the Earth

Let us define each!

A. Crust

It has a thin layer measuring 40km deep composed of solid rocks and minerals. It is divided into two
forms OCEANIC and CONTINENTAL CRUST.

Oceanic crust is found under oceans, and it is about

four miles thick in most places. Continental crust is
the layer of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
rocks that forms the continents and the areas of
shallow seabed close to their shores. Oceanic crust is
heavier than continental crust it is constantly sinking
Figure 4. Two forms of crust
and moving under continental crust.

B. Mantle

It represents about 85% of the total weight and mass of our planet. It can be found between the crust
and the core. Mantle has two layers, the upper mantle and lower mantle.

The upper mantle begins just beneath the mantle is hotter and denser than the upper mantle.
crust and ends at the lower mantle. It is dense yet
fluid in places and is responsible for volcanoes and
C. Core
the movement of tectonic plates. The thickness of the
upper mantle is between 200 and 250 miles. The
lower mantle extends from about 410 miles to about
1,678 miles beneath Earth‘s surface. The lower
Figure 5. Layers of the Earth showing the upper and lower mantle
 Earth‘s core is the very hot, very dense center of our planet. It lies beneath the mostly-solid mantle.
The core is found about 2,900 kilometers below Earth's surface. It has two layers, the inner core and outer
core.

Outer core is a fluid layer about 2,300 km thick and

composed of mostly iron and nickel, while inner core is primarily
a solid ball with a radius of about 1, 220 km. It is composed of an
iron-nickel alloy and some light elements.

Figure 6. Layers of the Earth showing the outer and

inner core

PLATE TECTONIC THEORY

Our planet is in a constant state of motion. If we take a look just below the surface we find that
things are always moving below our feet as well. It is called plate tectonics.

In the early 1990‘s a scientist named Alfred Lothar Wegener noticed that the
coastlines of several continents look like they fit together similar to a puzzle pieces. He
believed that around 200 million years ago, all the continents were joined together in a
one large supercontinent called Pangaea, meaning ‗all land’.

Figure 7. Alfred Lothar Wegener

(1880 – 1930)

Figure 8. The Pangaea

Over the course of millions of years, Pangaea broke apart into the continents we know today, a
process called continental drift. These continents are Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, North America,
South America, and Antarctica.

Figure 9. Continents move apart Figure 10. The seven continents of the world

What is Plate Tectonics Theory?

 Plate tectonics theory states that the earth‘s outer layer is divided into large
continent plates that are constantly moving. It moves around 1-2 inches per year. The
massive lithospheric plates are all moving in different ways and how they interact with one
another can have a huge impact on the earth. Where these plates meet is called boundaries.

Three types of boundaries:

1. Convergent boundaries. Occur when two plates are moving towards each other.
When one of the plates dives under the other plate, this creates a subduction zone.
The deeper under the Earth‘s surface that plate goes, the more pressure it creates.
That pressure is couples with a high heat causes the crust to melt forming magma.

Figure 11. The convergent boundary Figure 12. The formation of volcano in convergent
boundary
The magma presses up towards the surface and that when volcano are formed. The other
thing that can happen when two plates press into one another, the rock above the boundary
will be lifted up or folded and form mountains.

2. Transform boundaries. Occur when two plates are sliding past one another in
opposite direction. It creates a crack or fault in the Earth‘s crust. As the plates try to
move, they rub against one another resulting in the building up of pressure it
continues to build at the fault line until it eventually releases resulting in an
earthquake.

Figure 13. The transform boundary Figure 14. San Andreas Fault in California,
USA

3. Divergent boundaries. Occur when two plates are moving away from one another.
The space between the two plates widens and become a large crack or rift. Example,
the crust under the ocean pulled apart allowing magma to fill the space between.
This is called the seafloor spreading.
Figure 15. Divergent boundary Figure 16. Seafloor spreading