Seismology is a scientific field that studies earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth. As an expert in this field, I can explain that body waves are a type of seismic wave that travels through the Earth's interior. They are distinct from surface waves, which move along the Earth's surface. There are two main types of body waves: P waves (primary waves) and S waves (secondary waves). P waves are compressional waves that can travel through both solids and liquids, while S waves are shear waves that can only travel through solids. These waves cause different types of ground shaking, with P waves typically arriving first and causing an up-and-down motion, followed by S waves that cause a side-to-side motion. read more >>

A body wave is a seismic wave that moves through the interior of the earth, as opposed to surface waves that travel near the earth's surface. P and S waves are body waves. Each type of wave shakes the ground in different ways.read more >>