Digital ACT Science Practice Question #1802

Which fundamental property of seismic waves prevents S-waves from traveling through the Earth's liquid outer core? Experiment Context (Seismogram Travel-Time Curves): Following an intraplate earthquake, seismograph stations at varying epicentral distances recorded the arrival times of primary (P) and secondary (S) waves: Table 16: - Station Alpha (1,000 km): P-wave arrival = 2.2 min; S-wave arrival = 4.0 min; S-P Delay = 1.8 min - Station Beta (2,000 km): P-wave arrival = 4.0 min; S-wave arrival = 7.2 min; S-P Delay = 3.2 min - Station Gamma (3,000 km): P-wave arrival = 5.6 min; S-wave arrival = 10.1 min; S-P Delay = 4.5 min - Station Delta (4,000 km): P-wave arrival = 7.0 min; S-wave arrival = 12.6 min; S-P Delay = 5.6 min