This introduction covers X-Raying the Earth within Seismic Waves for GCSE Physics. Revise Seismic Waves in Waves for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 1 of 14 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 1 of 14
Practice
13 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
📖 X-Raying the Earth
We can't dig to the Earth's core — the deepest hole ever drilled is only 12 km (Earth's radius is 6,371 km!). So how do we know what's inside? Earthquakes! When earthquakes happen, they send waves through the entire planet. By studying how these waves travel, bend, and where they can't go, scientists have mapped the Earth's interior: a solid inner core, liquid outer core, mantle, and crust. It's like using ultrasound to see inside a body, but for the whole planet!