Question

Lithosphere is made up of
A. Crust
B. Mantle
C. Core
D. Both (a) and (b)

Answer 1

Hint: Lithosphere is the rocky part of the earth. It is an uneven layer that contains the characteristic landforms like mountains, hills, plateaus and plains. It is covered by a layer of soil. The lithosphere contains the life forms of the earth.

Complete answer:
The Earth can be divided into various parts based on the chemical nature of the regions. There are four different parts of the earth. They are as follows from outside to inside.
Crust: It is the outermost of the component layers of the earth. There are two layers of the crust – the oceanic layer present under the ocean basins and a continental crust. The rocks present in the crust are of two categories: the SIAL and the SIMA. The SIAL is the silicon and aluminum layer of the crust, while the SIMA is the silicon and magnesium layer.
Mantle: The mantle is the thickest of the layers of the earth. There is an upper mantle and a lower mantle, which remain separated by a zone of transition. Silicate rocks rich in magnesium and iron are abundant in the mantle. The tectonic plates of the earth move by convection motion of the components of the mantle. This allows the heat to pass from the earth’s interior to the earth’s space.
Core: The innermost part of the earth is known as the core. There is an inner part and an outer part. The core is known to be composed of iron and nickel. The outer layer is believed to be liquid surrounding the solid inner layer.
The lithosphere is composed of the crust and the upper mantle. It is divided into tectonic plates that move with the help of convection motions of the mantle. The movement of the tectonic plates causes earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. The part of the lithosphere associated with the oceanic crust is known as the oceanic lithosphere, while the part associated with continental crust is the continental lithosphere.
Hence, we can conclude that the lithosphere is composed of the crust and the upper mantle, but not the core.

Hence, the correct answer is option (D).

Note: The lithosphere is the outermost part of the earth and contains the entire crust and upper part of the mantle. The lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move by convection motions taking place in the mantle. This movement is known as tectonic shift and causes natural processes like earthquakes and volcanoes. The lithosphere remains connected to the hydrosphere and the atmosphere, and the asthenosphere.