In which order do seismic waves from an earthquake arrive?

Seismic waves generated by an earthquake travel through the Earth in different orders, typically arriving in the following sequence:

1. Primary waves (P-waves): These are the fastest seismic waves and are the first to arrive at a seismograph station after an earthquake. P-waves are compressional waves that travel through solids, liquids, and gases, and they push and pull the rock particles in the direction of wave propagation.
2. Secondary waves (S-waves): S-waves are slower than P-waves and arrive at the seismograph station after the P-waves. These waves are shear or transverse waves that travel through solids only. S-waves move rock particles perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.
3. Surface waves: Surface waves are slower than both P-waves and S-waves and arrive at the seismograph station last. They travel along the Earth's surface and are responsible for causing the most significant destruction during an earthquake. Surface waves have both horizontal (Love waves) and vertical (Rayleigh waves) motion, and they can produce strong shaking and ground displacement.

The sequence of arrival of seismic waves at a seismograph station provides valuable information about the nature of an earthquake and the Earth's interior, as different waves behave differently based on the materials they pass through. This information is crucial for seismologists to study earthquakes and understand the Earth's structure.