* The rigid, outermost layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the uppermost mantle

* Divided into tectonic plates, which move around the Earth's surface

Asthenosphere

* The layer of the mantle directly beneath the lithosphere

* Characterized by hot, weak, and ductile rock that deforms readily

Mesosphere

* The middle layer of the mantle, between the asthenosphere and the lower mantle

* Characterized by solid, rigid rock that is less dense than the surrounding layers

Lower mantle

* The region of the mantle directly above the Earth's core

* Extends from the bottom of the mesosphere to the core-mantle boundary

* Characterized by very high temperatures and pressures, up to over 75,000 atmospheres (7980 MPa)