The boundary between Earth's outer core and mantle is revealed by seismic waves and is known as what?

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Multiple Choice

The boundary between Earth's outer core and mantle is revealed by seismic waves and is known as what?

Seismic data show abrupt changes in how waves travel at the boundary between the mantle and the outer core. This boundary is called the Gutenberg discontinuity. It marks where the solid mantle gives way to the liquid outer core. The key clue is that S-waves cannot travel through liquids, so they disappear after crossing into the outer core, creating a seismic shadow, while P-waves slow and refract. This combination identifies a transition to a liquid layer beneath the mantle. The other named boundaries refer to different transitions (crust–mantle, inner–outer core, or within the mantle) and do not describe the mantle–outer core boundary.

Seismic data show abrupt changes in how waves travel at the boundary between the mantle and the outer core. This boundary is called the Gutenberg discontinuity. It marks where the solid mantle gives way to the liquid outer core. The key clue is that S-waves cannot travel through liquids, so they disappear after crossing into the outer core, creating a seismic shadow, while P-waves slow and refract. This combination identifies a transition to a liquid layer beneath the mantle. The other named boundaries refer to different transitions (crust–mantle, inner–outer core, or within the mantle) and do not describe the mantle–outer core boundary.

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