Question

travel time (min)
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000
distance (km)
what does the graph show?
the s and p waves travel the same distance through earth’s crust in the same amount of time
the p wave travels through earth’s crust more quickly than the s wave travels.
it takes the p wave 10 minutes to travel 6,000 km through earth’s crust
it takes the s wave 11 minutes to travel 8,000 km through earth’s crust

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, analyze the graph (distance vs. travel time for P and S waves, with S - wave as dashed, P - wave as solid).

• Option 1: The lines have different slopes, so they don't travel same distance in same time. Eliminate.
• Option 2: For a given distance, P - wave (solid) has less travel time than S - wave (dashed). So P wave is faster. This matches.
• Option 3: At 6,000 km, P - wave's time is less than 10 minutes (from graph). Eliminate.
• Option 4: At 8,000 km, S - wave's time is ~16 minutes (not 11). Eliminate.

Answer:

B. The P wave travels through Earth’s crust more quickly than the S wave travels.