Importance of the Lithosphere

As inhabitants of our planet Earth, humans often forget about the natural environment and do not realize the ground we walk on. In this case, it is not an idea in a figurative sense, since the terrestrial soil is the solid structure in which it is possible to develop our own life. Yes, we are animals terrestrial, it is worth knowing the structure of the Earth.

The lithosphere is the solid, outer sphere of the Earth

Like the rest of the universe, the earth's crust is made up of atoms that make up elements. Thus, there is oxygen, silicon, aluminum, calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium and other elements. Oxygen and silicon make up 80% of the entire surface of the Earth.

The minerals They are classified by their hardness, which is carried out by the Mohs scale (each of the minerals It has a degree of hardness from 1 to 10, diamond being the hardest of all and has a value of 10 in the scale). Color and brightness are other criteria for classifying minerals.

Rocks are mixtures of minerals and the

Petroleum It is the only rock found in a liquid state. There are basically three types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. Among the igneous we can highlight diorite, gabbro, granite, pegmatite or obsidian. Sedimentary rocks appear arranged in layers and have been formed by the action of rain, wind or ice. Metamorphic rocks are the oldest in the earth's crust and their minerals form laminated structures.

below the lithosphere

In the deepest part of the Earth is the Earth's inner core. This part is solid and its temperature It is as high as that which exists on the surface of the Sun. Around this area there is the outer core, which is molten.

In the next layer is the mantle, which is molten and formed by magma. The magma or lava accumulates in chambers and can reach the earth's surface through a volcanic tube.

When the lava cools it transforms into a volcanic type rock.

In the lower structure of the lithosphere is the asthenosphere, which is made up of hard and ductile rocks and collects heat from the earth's core and it projects it towards the crust (the mass of the asthenosphere is viscous and for this reason geologists say that the lithosphere floats on the asthenosphere).

On the outermost part, the earth's crust, there are tectonic plates that come and go and this area is known as the subduction zone.

Images: Fotolia. B44022101, John Takai