Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store

What is the thickness of the lithosphere?
A. 250 km
B. 200km
C.150km
D.100km

seo-qna
SearchIcon
Answer
VerifiedVerified
440.4k+ views
Hint:The outer solid covering of the earth is called the lithosphere.The composition includes the crust and the portion of the upper mantle.

Complete answer: The lithosphere is the hard, rigid layer that is covering the outer surface of the earth. It can be subdivided into tectonic plates.The thickness of the lithosphere is 100km.The lithosphere is associated with tectonic activities.Above the lithosphere lies the atmosphere and below it lies the asthenosphere.The asthenosphere consists of melted rocks that gives it a sticky and thick consistency. There are two types of lithosphere: the oceanic lithosphere and the continental lithosphere.The oceanic lithosphere makes up the seafloor and it is quite dense. Maximum tectonic activities occur at the outside boundary of the lithosphere. Collisions against each other and tearing apart takes place. Some of the world’s geologic events like earthquakes,volcanoes,mountain ranges and deep ocean trenches are caused by tectonic activities. The atmosphere is shaped by the hardest rocks of the lithosphere.These hard rocks are grounded by icy glaciers,weathering, erosion which are caused by the wind and rain. The plants and animal remains get combined with eroded rocks to form fertile soil. This is known as the pedosphere.

So, the correct answer is option D.

Note: The lithosphere is responsible for causing low temperatures in hills and valleys. The lithosphere comes in contact with thinner air, creating precipitation which creates a cool and icy climatic zone.The biodiversity of the places also get adjusted to such climatic conditions.