Question

A shear wave (S wave) is a type of seismic _____ that shakes the ground back and forth perpendicular to the direction the wave is moving
A) body wave
B) primary wave
C) P wave
D) surface wave

Answer 1

A. body wave
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Answer 2

A shear wave (S wave) is a type of seismic body wave that shakes the ground back and forth perpendicular to the direction the wave is moving.

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

Shear waves move through the body of an object, without following surface waves. These are called Secondary waves and S-waves. These are transverse too. Shear, as the name suggests, denotes a wave which is abnormal, i.e. perpendicular to the normal waves.

These normal waves are those which travel through the surface of the body. Unlike them, the S-waves travel move through the body, hence causes vibrations. These uncertain vibrations cause a body to shake, and therefore, the ground is shaken on the onset of shear waves. These are the causes of earth quakes.