Question
‘Mohorovicic discontinuity’ marks the boundary between :
The correct answer is
Crust and the upper mantle
Mohorovicic Discontinuity: Defining Earth's Layers
The Mohorovicic discontinuity, often called the Moho, represents a significant boundary within the Earth's structure.
It is defined as the seismic velocity discontinuity that separates:
- Earth's crust (both continental and oceanic)
- From the upper mantle directly beneath it.
This boundary is identified by a sudden increase in the speed of seismic waves as they pass from the crust into the denser mantle material.
Understanding Earth's Layered Structure
To clarify why other options are incorrect:
- Continental shelf and Ocean crust: Both are parts of the Earth's crust, not separated by the Moho.
- Asthenosphere and lithosphere: The boundary between these is the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary, located deeper within the upper mantle. The lithosphere includes the crust and the uppermost rigid part of the mantle.
- Core and the mantle: This boundary is known as the Gutenberg discontinuity.
Therefore, the Mohorovicic discontinuity specifically marks the base of the crust and the top of the upper mantle.
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Important Questions from Geomorphology
- Which of the following is a shallow desert depression formed by wind erosion?
- Volcanoes are often found in which type of plate boundary?
- Which of the following is NOT a part of chemical weathering?
- What is the disintegration of rocks into smaller fragments without any change in their chemical composition called?
- A flat or gently sloping surface left behind after river erosion, often with some resistant remnants, is known as:
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