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Question

What is the lithosphere and why is it important?


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Solution

Lithosphere is the topmost crust of the earth on which stand our continents and ocean basins. The lithosphere has a thickness between 35to 50 km in the continental regions but becomes thin between 6 and 12 km under ocean beds. In the high mountain region its thickness is estimated about 60km. Lithosphere provide us forests, grasslands for grazing land for agriculture and human settlements and also rich source of minerals.

The lithosphere contains different types of rocks such as the igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, it helps to provide the necessary nutrients required to plants. The mantle, which lies between the core and the crust, consists of molten rock, called magma which moves continuously because of convection currents.


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