What kind of waves are vibrations that move away from an earthquake’s origin?
Physics · High School · Tue Nov 03 2020
Answered on
The waves that move away from an earthquake's origin are known as seismic waves. There are two main types of seismic waves: P-waves (Primary or compressional waves) and S-waves (Secondary or shear waves).
1. P-waves (Primary waves):
- P-waves are the fastest seismic waves and can travel through solids, liquids, and gases.
- They are compressional waves, meaning they cause particles to move in the same direction as the wave is traveling (compression and expansion).
2. S-waves (Secondary waves):
- S-waves are slower than P-waves and can only travel through solids.
- They are shear waves, meaning they cause particles to move perpendicular to the direction of the wave.
Both P-waves and S-waves play a crucial role in seismology, the study of earthquakes. Seismographs, instruments that record ground motion, capture the arrival of these waves at different times, helping seismologists determine the earthquake's location and magnitude.