There are three major kinds of seismic waves: P, S, and surface waves. P and S waves together are sometimes called body waves because they can travel through the body of the earth, and are not trapped near the surface. A P wave is a sound wave traveling through rock.
What are the 3 types of waves in a earthquake?
What are the 4 types of earthquake waves?
Love Waves—surface waves that move parallel to the Earth's surface and perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation..
- P-wave Motion. P-wave:the primary body wave; the first seismic wave detected by seismographs; able to move through both liquid and solid rock. …
- S-wave Motion. …
- Rayleigh-wave Motion. …
- Love-wave Motion.
What are P waves and S waves in earthquakes?
In P or compressional waves, the vibration of the rock is in the direction of propagation. P waves travel fastest and are the first to arrive from the earthquake. In S or shear waves, rock oscillates perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.
Which of the 3 types of earthquake waves is the most destructive?
S waves are more dangerous than P waves because they have greater amplitude and produce vertical and horizontal motion of the ground surface. The slowest waves, surface waves, arrive last. They travel only along the surface of the Earth. There are two types of surface waves: Love and Rayleigh waves.
What type of waves do earthquakes have?
NARRATOR: Earthquakes generate two main types of seismic, or shock, waves: body waves and surface waves. Body waves travel through the interior of the earth. The fastest of these are primary, or "P," waves. These compressional waves move faster in dense rock and slower in fluids.
What are the 2 types of surface waves?
The two types of surface waves are named Love waves and Rayleigh waves, after the scientists who identified them. Love waves have a horizontal motion that moves the surface from side to side perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling. Of the two surface waves, Love waves move faster.
What are the 2 types of body waves?
Body waves
- P-waves. The first type of body wave is called the primary wave or pressure wave, and is commonly referred to as P-waves. …
- S-waves. The second type of body wave is called the secondary wave, shear wave or shaking wave, and is commonly referred to as S-waves. …
- Wave propagation.
What type of wave is S wave?
secondary waves S waves are called secondary waves because they always arrive after P waves at seismic recording stations. Unlike P waves, S waves can travel only through solid materials. After both P and S waves have moved through the body of Earth, they are followed by surface waves, which travel along Earth's surface.
What is primary and secondary waves?
The P-wave (primary or pressure wave) is a pulse of energy that travels quickly through the earth and through liquids. … The S-wave (secondary or shear wave) follows more slowly, with a swaying, rolling motion that shakes the ground back and forth perpendicular to the direction of the wave.