Prelims · 3 Physical & World Geography · 3.2 Interior of the Earth and plate tectonics

3.2.2 Seismic waves: P, S and surface waves and shadow zones

An earthquake sends out body waves (P and S) that travel through the Earth and surface waves that travel along it; the way these waves speed up, bend and disappear in shadow zones tells us the layered structure of the interior.

  • APPSC Group 2 · Prelims
  • Standard level
  • 7 min read
  • Full course

Key terms

  • body waves
  • P-waves
  • S-waves
  • surface waves
  • Love waves
  • Rayleigh waves
  • shadow zone
  • 105 degrees
  • 145 degrees
  • seismograph
  • refraction
  • liquid outer core

What this note covers

  1. Core factsFoundation
  2. ExplainedStandard
  3. DeeperAdvanced
  4. Mains writingMains writing
  5. Common trapsFoundation
  6. Quick revisionFoundation

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