The Lithosphere and Asthenosphere
Together the Crust and Upper Mantle are called the Lithosphere. The Lithosphere is about 80km deep. The Lithosphere is broken into giant plates that fit around the globe like puzzle pieces. Did you know the Plates move a bit each year as they slide on top of a supposed liquid part of the Mantle called the Asthenosphere. All the plates moving can cause earthquakes. The Asthenosphere is like plastic and can be pushed and deformed in response to the warmth of Earth. These rocks flow, moving in response to the stresses placed upon them by the churning motion of the interior of Earth. The flowing Asthenosphere carries the Lithosphere, including the continents of Earth.