Question

an s wave shadow zone is formed as seismic waves travel through the earth's body which of the following statements does this s-wave shadow zone indicate.

A. The inner core is liquid.
B. The inner core is solid.
C. The mantle is solid.
D. The outer core is liquid​

Answer 1

S-wave shadow zone indicate B.) The inner core is solid.

The inner core is solid. A seismic shadow zone is an area of the Earth's surface where seismographs cannot detect an earthquake after its seismic waves have passed through the Earth.

Explanation:

• The S wave shadow zone is the area of the Earth's surface where S waves are not detected following an earthquake.
• This shadow zone has led geologists to a model of the Earth with a solid mantle and a liquid core.
• Geologists have been able to calculate the size of the liquid core from these measurements.
• The shadow zone is the area of the earth from angular distances of 140 to 140 degrees from a given earthquake that does not receive any direct P waves.
• The shadow zone results from S waves being stopped entirely by the liquid core and P waves being bent (refracted) by the liquid core.
• S-waves do not travel through liquids (they are attenuated). The entire zone beyond $103°$ does not receive S-waves, and hence this zone is identified as the shadow zone of S-waves.