The outer rigid shell of Earth that includes the crust and upper mantle is called what?

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Multiple Choice

The outer rigid shell of Earth that includes the crust and upper mantle is called what?

Explanation:
The outer rigid shell that includes the crust and the upper mantle is called the lithosphere. It behaves as a solid, brittle layer that forms the tectonic plates. Below it lies the partially molten asthenosphere, which lets those plates move slowly over it. The other options aren’t the outer rigid shell: the asthenosphere is the weak layer beneath the lithosphere; the mesosphere refers to the deeper, more rigid part of the mantle; and the core is Earth's center, with a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.

The outer rigid shell that includes the crust and the upper mantle is called the lithosphere. It behaves as a solid, brittle layer that forms the tectonic plates. Below it lies the partially molten asthenosphere, which lets those plates move slowly over it. The other options aren’t the outer rigid shell: the asthenosphere is the weak layer beneath the lithosphere; the mesosphere refers to the deeper, more rigid part of the mantle; and the core is Earth's center, with a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.

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