The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Crust of the Earth

CRUST OF THE EARTH, a term formerly in much use to indicate the solid shell of the earth that covered the supposed molten interior. More recently it has come to be believed that the earth is probably solid throughout, and the term Crust has lost its original significance, and is not much used by scientists, though it is still widely retained popularly for what is more properly called the lithosphere. For the conditions that obtain in the lithosphere see Rock Flowage; Rock Cleavage; Faults; Joints; Mountains; also Geology, Geognosy.