How Waves Help Us Understand the Earth's Composition

Which of the following waves can only travel through solids?

• Secondary Waves

  (S Waves)

• Primary Waves

  (P Waves)

• Light Waves

• Sound Waves

Which of the following seismic waves can travel through solids, liquid and gases?

• Rayleigh waves
• Surface waves
• P-waves
• S-waves

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Which types of seismic waves give us the best and most information about the composition, position and state of matter of the layers of the Earth?

• P waves

• S waves

• Rayleigh Waves

• Love Waves

What causes seismic waves to move more swiftly through the layers of the Earth?

• Increase in density and rigidity of the materials
• Increase in temperature and pressure of the materials
• Introduction of more air pockets in the layers
• Decrease in density and rigidity of the materials

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Why do seismic waves move more swiftly through the inner core than through the outer core?

• Seismic waves move faster in the inner core due to the presence of air.
• The outer core is solid, causing seismic waves to slow down.
• The inner core is solid, allowing seismic waves to travel faster.
• The inner core is made of water, which allows seismic waves to travel faster.

Why do mechanical waves (like seismic waves) move faster through solids than gases?

• The molecules in solids are closer together

• The molecules in solids are farther apart

• The molecules in gases are closer together

• The molecules in gases are farther apart

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Which of the following statements best compares the movement of a light wave through a prism to the movement of a seismic wave through the Earth's layers?

• Both travel at the same speed
• Both are affected by the Earth's magnetic field
• Both produce the same frequency
• Both undergo refraction

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

When seismic waves travel through increasing densities inside the mantle, the speed of the wave....

• decreases
• increases
• stays the same
• disappears

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between density of the Earth's layers and the speed of a seismic wave?

• Seismic waves travel faster through less dense materials.
• Seismic waves travel at the same speed through all layers of the Earth.
• Seismic waves travel faster through denser materials.
• Seismic waves have no relationship with the density of the Earth's layers.

What is the shape of the trajectory of a P Wave as it travels through the mantle?

• vertical

• horizontal

• curved

• diagonal