What are seismic waves?

Seismic waves are energy waves generated by earthquakes that propagate through the Earth. When an earthquake occurs, it releases energy that generates these waves, which can travel through various materials in the Earth's crust, mantle, and core. There are different types of seismic waves, including primary (P) waves, which are compressional and can move through solids and liquids, and secondary (S) waves, which are shear waves that can only move through solids. Seismic waves are essential for understanding the Earth's internal structure and dynamics, as seismologists analyze them to determine the location and magnitude of earthquakes and to study geological formations.

The other choices don't accurately describe seismic waves. Electromagnetic waves related to the sun do not have a connection to seismic activity, sound waves from underwater eruptions pertain to a different phenomenon, and the assertion that waves occur only in oceans is misleading since seismic waves traverse the entire Earth.