Final answer:
S waves, or shear waves, cannot be felt on the opposite side of the Earth because they cannot travel through the liquid outer core, creating an S-wave shadow zone.
Step-by-step explanation:
S waves, also known as shear waves or transverse waves, cannot be felt on the opposite side of the Earth because they cannot travel through liquids. The Earth's outer core is liquid, and because shear waves cannot travel through liquid, they are not transmitted through the Earth's core. This creates a S-wave shadow zone on the Earth's surface where no S waves are detected. P waves, or pressure waves, on the other hand, can travel through both solid and liquid materials, which is why they can be detected on the opposite side of the Earth after an earthquake.