Question

What is the main difference between the lithosphere and asthenosphere?

Answer 1

Hint: The crust and upper mantle make up the lithosphere, which is the earth's rigid outer layer. The asthenosphere is the upper layer of the earth's mantle, below the lithosphere, where convection is assumed to occur due to low resistance to plastic flow.

Complete answer:
The Earth underneath us is divided into layers, much like the space above us, with the center being the innermost layer. The lithosphere, asthenosphere, mantle, outer core, and inner core are the layers. The lithosphere and asthenosphere are two layers that are often difficult to distinguish. It is, however, important to learn to distinguish between the two.

Sl.no	Lithosphere	Asthenosphere
1.	The lithosphere is made up of 80 different elements and 200 different mineral forms.	The asthenosphere is mostly made up of iron-magnesium silicate
2.	The lithosphere is 80km to 200km below the earth’s surface.	The asthenosphere extends to 700km below the earth’s surface.
3.	The lithosphere refers to the layer underneath the atmosphere that consists of the Earth's crust as well as the mantel's uppermost solid layer. The tectonic plates that trigger earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions are found in this layer.	The asthenosphere refers to a substance that exists underneath the lithosphere. It has a depth of 700 km from the Earth's surface and is made up of the mantel's upper weaker layers. They're semi-fluid, allowing their half-molten rocks to pass around.

Note: Remember that lithosphere and asthenosphere are very different from each other. They are difficult to differentiate; therefore, they are often mistaken for each other. But the lithosphere consists of the crust and the mantle whereas the asthenosphere is the upper layer of the earth’s mantle.