What is different about how the seismic waves generated by earthquakes travel through the inner core than any other layer?

1 Answer
Aug 14, 2016


body waves (primary p and secondary s ) penetrate the interior of the earth. primary waves penetrate the outer core but no waves pass through the proposed liquid inner core.


The p waves are like sound waves. The p (primary) waves are compression waves. The p waves are the most powerful and penetrating.

The s waves are like ocean waves. The s (secondary) waves are up and down and side to side. The secondary waves penetrate the mantle and crust but do not have the power of the primary waves but often do more damage than p waves because the up and down motion cause buildings to topple and the side to side motion causes the land to split.

Surface waves caused by the earth quake do not penetrate the interior of the earth but do cause damage on the surface