Table of Contents
What happens when the material in the asthenosphere is cooled?
pressure exerted on the asthenosphere beneath it is reduced, melting begins to occur, and the asthenosphere begins to flow upward. If the lithosphere has not separated, the asthenosphere cools as it rises and becomes part of the lithosphere. If there is a break in the lithosphere, magma may escape and flow outward.
Is the asthenosphere cooler than the lithosphere?
-Asthenosphere – mean density about 3.3 g/cc. -Lithosphere – less dense and cooler than asthenosphere. It is solid, hard, brittle material. The lithosphere actually includes both the uppermost mantle and the crust.
Where is the cooler rock located at?
Cooler rock near the top of the mantle begins to sink as rock that was heated near the bottom of the mantle begins to rise. You just studied 19 terms!
What material makes up the lithosphere?
crust
The lithosphere is made up of rocks from two of the Earth’s major layers. It contains all of the outer, thin shell of the planet, called the crust, and the uppermost part of the next-lower layer, the mantle.
What does the temperature of the asthenosphere and lithosphere do?
Temperature of the Lithosphere The temperature increases with depth down to the top of the asthenosphere, where the temperature is about 1,280 degrees Celsius (2,336 degrees Fahrenheit). The gradient is higher — temperature increases more rapidly with depth — in ocean basins where the lithosphere is thin.
How do the asthenosphere and lithosphere interact?
The tectonic plates are made up of Earth’s crust and the upper part of the mantle layer underneath. Together the crust and upper mantle are called the lithosphere and they extend about 80 km deep. The flowing asthenosphere carries the lithosphere of the Earth, including the continents, on its back.
Why does the lithosphere float on the asthenosphere?
Since the Lithosphere has a lower density, it floats on top of the Asthenosphere similar to the way in which an iceberg or a block of wood floats on water. The lower mantle below the Asthenosphere is more rigid and less plastic.