Shadow zones are regions on the Earth's surface where seismic waves from an earthquake are not detected. This phenomenon occurs due to the way body waves, such as P-waves and S-waves, interact with the Earth's internal structure, particularly when they encounter different materials and layers within the Earth. The existence of shadow zones provides crucial information about the composition and behavior of the Earth's interior, as these areas reveal insights into the properties of materials that seismic waves cannot traverse or penetrate.
congrats on reading the definition of shadow zones. now let's actually learn it.