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Which of the following is not a component of Earth's surface?

1) lithosphere
2) hydrosphere
3) crust
4) mantle

User Trondh
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The mantle is not a part of Earth's surface; it lies beneath the crust and is involved in plate tectonics. Earth's surface is made up of the crust, the lithosphere which includes the crust and uppermost mantle, and the hydrosphere.

Step-by-step explanation:

The component that is not a part of Earth's surface is the mantle. The Earth's surface comprises several layers, categorized either by their chemical composition, such as the crust, mantle, and core, or by their mechanical properties, like the lithosphere and asthenosphere. The crust is the outermost layer of the Earth and the part we live on; it's predominantly composed of silicon oxide and aluminum oxide. Additionally, the lithosphere is the outermost mechanical layer, which includes the crust and the uppermost portion of the mantle, behaving as a brittle, rigid solid. The hydrosphere encompasses all water-contained areas on, under, and above the Earth's surface. The mantle, however, lies beneath the crust and is not considered part of the Earth's surface; it is known for its role in plate tectonics and is composed of a different set of minerals than the crust.

User Tbaranes
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