Which seismic waves cannot propagate through liquids?

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Multiple Choice

Which seismic waves cannot propagate through liquids?

Explanation:
Liquids cannot support shear motion, so waves that rely on shear cannot travel through them. S-waves move particles perpendicular to the direction of travel and require the material to have shear strength; without that, they cannot propagate in liquids. In contrast, P-waves compress and expand the material and can move through liquids, while Love and Rayleigh surface waves depend on a solid’s elasticity and shear rigidity and thus don’t propagate in liquids either. So S-waves cannot propagate through liquids.

Liquids cannot support shear motion, so waves that rely on shear cannot travel through them. S-waves move particles perpendicular to the direction of travel and require the material to have shear strength; without that, they cannot propagate in liquids. In contrast, P-waves compress and expand the material and can move through liquids, while Love and Rayleigh surface waves depend on a solid’s elasticity and shear rigidity and thus don’t propagate in liquids either. So S-waves cannot propagate through liquids.

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