Article
Article
Lithosphere
Article By:
Karner, Garry D. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York.
Last reviewed:November 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.387200
The rigid or mechanically strong outer layer of the Earth that can support stress. The lithosphere is divided into 12 major plates, the boundaries of which are zones of intense activity that produce many of the large-scale geological features that characterize the Earth. These plates move as coherent units with velocities of up to several centimeters per year, and their relative movement and interaction form the foundation for the theory of plate tectonics.
The content above is only an excerpt.
About AccessScience
AccessScience provides the most accurate and trustworthy scientific information available.
Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students. Contributors include more than 10,000 highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners.
MORE THAN 8700 articles covering all major scientific disciplines and encompassing the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology
115,000-PLUS definitions from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
3000 biographies of notable scientific figures
MORE THAN 19,000 downloadable images and animations illustrating key topics
ENGAGING VIDEOS highlighting the life and work of award-winning scientists
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY and additional readings to guide students to deeper understanding and research
LINKS TO CITABLE LITERATURE help students expand their knowledge using primary sources of information
