what is the major difference between the crust and the lithosphere?
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Crust and mantle refer to changes in the chemical composition of the Earth. The lithosphere (litho:rock; sphere:layer) is the strong, upper 100 km of the Earth. The lithosphere is the tectonic plate we talk about in plate tectonics.
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Both oceanic crust and continental crust are less dense than the mantle, but oceanic crust is denser than continental crust. ... Because continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust it floats higher on the mantle, just like a piece of Styrofoam floats higher on water than a piece of wood does.
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Terms in this set (2) They differ by there rock types. Oceanic crust is made up of dense basalt while continental crust is made up of less dense granite.
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Continental crust is broadly granitic in composition and, with a density of about 2.7 grams per cubic cm, is somewhat lighter than oceanic crust, which is basaltic (i.e., richer in iron and magnesium than granite) in composition and has a density of about 2.9 to 3 grams per cubic cm.
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The lithosphere is the solid, outer part of the Earth. The lithosphere includes the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust, the outermost layers of Earth's structure. It is bounded by the atmosphere above and the asthenosphere (another part of the upper mantle) below.
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In geology, a crust is the outermost layer of a planet. The crust of the Earth is composed of a great variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. The crust is underlain by the mantle. The upper part of the mantle is composed mostly of peridotite, a rock denser than rocks common in the overlying crust.
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Continental crust consists mainly of less dense rocks such as granite. Oceanic crust consists of mainly denser rocks such as basalt.
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3. Lithosphere The solid part of the earth. It consists of three main layers: crust, mantle and core.
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Earth's crust is divided into two types: oceanic crust and continental crust.
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In very broad terms, oceanic crust is made up of basalt and continental crust is made up of rocks similar to granite. Below the crust is a solid relatively cooler portion of the upper mantle that is combined with the crust to make the lithosphere layer.
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The continental crust is made mostly of rocks with a composition similar to granite (a light-colored rock you would expect to find in the Sierra Nevada), whereas the oceanic crust is made mostly of rocks with a composition of basalt (a dark- colored rock, like the rocks that make up the Hawaiian volcanoes).
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It is the solid rock layer upon which we live. It is either continental or oceanic. Continental crust is typically 30-50 km thick, whilst oceanic crust is only 5-10 km thick. Oceanic crust is denser, can be subducted and is constantly being destroyed and replaced at plate boundaries.
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Parts of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere make up the biosphere. The lithosphere is the outermost layer of the Earth's crust; essentially land is part of the lithosphere.
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Earth is composed of multiple layers, which can be defined either by composition or by mechanical properties. The crust, mantle, and core are defined by differences in composition. The lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, and outer and inner cores are defined by differences in mechanical properties.
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The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth's solid outer crust, the lithosphere, is separated into plates that move over the asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of the mantle. Oceanic and continental plates come together, spread apart, and interact at boundaries all over the planet.
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Oceanic lithosphere consists mainly of mafic crust and ultramafic mantle (peridotite) and is denser than continental lithosphere, for which the mantle is associated with crust made of felsic rocks. Oceanic lithosphere thickens as it ages and moves away from the mid-ocean ridge.
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Continental crust is typically 30-50 km thick, whilst oceanic crust is only 5-10 km thick. Oceanic crust is denser, can be subducted and is constantly being destroyed and replaced at plate boundaries.