Which of the following statements regarding seismic waves due to an earthquake at the Earth's surface, and the inner core is true?Group of answer choicesthe inner core is thought to be liquidPrimary S waves travel through the inner coreP waves do not travel through the inner coreP waves travel through the inner core at a higher velocity than S wavesthe inner core blocks P-, and S-waves
Question
Which of the following statements regarding seismic waves due to an earthquake at the Earth's surface, and the inner core is true?Group of answer choicesthe inner core is thought to be liquidPrimary S waves travel through the inner coreP waves do not travel through the inner coreP waves travel through the inner core at a higher velocity than S wavesthe inner core blocks P-, and S-waves
Solution
The correct statement is "P waves travel through the inner core at a higher velocity than S waves".
Here's why:
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The inner core is not thought to be liquid. It is believed to be solid due to the behavior of P and S waves.
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Primary S waves do not travel through the inner core. S waves are shear waves and cannot travel through liquids or gases, which suggests that the inner core is solid.
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P waves do travel through the inner core. P waves are compressional waves and can travel through solids, liquids, and gases.
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P waves do indeed travel through the inner core at a higher velocity than S waves. This is because P waves are faster than S waves in general.
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The inner core does not block P- and S-waves. As mentioned, P waves can travel through the inner core, and while S waves cannot, this is not because the inner core "blocks" them, but because of their shear nature.
Similar Questions
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