What would be the best explanation as to why the S waves suddenly stop at the point they do?
A.
the S waves are not strong enough to go any further
B.
the S waves can only travel through solids, so there must be a liquid at that location.
C.
the P waves stop the S waves from going any further.
D.
The S waves can only move through liquids, so there must be a solid at that location.
B. The S waves can only travel through solids, so there must be a liquid at that location.
When comparing layer 4 with layer 3, you observe that rock types for each layer are
. Using this evidence, you are able to explain that within the transition between layer 4 and layer 3, the environment of deposition
. You are able to write in your report that between layer 4 and layer 3
The question is incomplete and does not provide enough information to answer it accurately. Please provide more context or details about the layers and rock types.
The best explanation for why the S waves suddenly stop at a certain point is C - The P waves stop the S waves from going any further.
To understand why this occurs, we need to explain the nature of S (shear) waves and P (primary) waves. Both are types of seismic waves generated by earthquakes. P waves are compressional waves, which means they cause rocks to compress and expand in the same direction as the wave is traveling. S waves, on the other hand, are shear waves that cause rocks to oscillate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.
When an earthquake occurs, P waves are the first to be generated and can travel through both solids and liquids. S waves, however, can only travel through solids. This critical difference in their ability to propagate through different materials occurs because of the difference in their wave motion - P waves can move through both solid and liquid due to their compressional nature, while S waves require rigidity to propagate.
As P waves encounter a boundary between solid and liquid (e.g., the Earth's outer core, which is liquid), they can penetrate and continue traveling. However, when S waves reach the same boundary, they cannot transmit their oscillations across the liquid because liquids do not possess the rigidity required for shear wave motion. As a result, the S waves abruptly stop at this point.
Therefore, the correct explanation is that the P waves stop the S waves from going any further, as S waves cannot travel through liquids like the P waves can.