Asked by brent

Which phrases describe S waves?

behave like a ripple
move through liquids only
are classified as primary waves
are known as a type of direct evidence

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Only "behave like a ripple" — with a caveat.

- "behave like a ripple" — essentially true: S (secondary or shear) waves are transverse body waves that move material perpendicular to their travel direction, producing ripple‑like motion.
- "move through liquids only" — false: S waves cannot travel through liquids (they travel through solids only).
- "are classified as primary waves" — false: S waves are secondary waves (P waves are primary).
- "are known as a type of direct evidence" — misleading/false: S waves provide indirect evidence about Earth's interior (e.g., the liquid outer core) because their absence past certain distances is diagnostic, but they are not called "direct evidence."