How does seismographs detect and record seismic waves?

Answer 1

Well you know when you write a sentence, the paper stays in one place while your hand moves the pen. But in a seismograph, it's the pen that remains stationary while the paper moves. Why is this? All seismographs make use of a basic principle of physics: Whether it is moving or at rest, every object resists any change to its motion. A seismograph's heavy weight resists motion during a quake. But the rest of the seismograph is anchored to the ground and vibrates when seismic waves arrive.

Answer 2

Well you know when you write a sentence, the paper stays in one place while your hand moves the pen. But in a seismograph, it's the pen that remains stationary while the paper moves. Why is this? All seismographs make use of a basic principle of physics: Whether it is moving or at rest, every object resists any change to its motion. A seismograph's heavy weight resists motion during a quake. But the rest of the seismograph is anchored to the ground and vibrates when seismic waves arrive.

Answer 3

Earthquakes are measured using a recording device called a seismograph. We often think of seismographs as a free-swinging pen suspended over a rotating drum of paper; modern seismographs are entirely computer-based. Froma seismograph we can determine the distance to the earthquake epicenter from the difference in arrival time between P-waves and S-waves and their known velocities. We can pinpoint the location of the epicenter by triangulation using the distances determined from three or more seismographs. The difference in arrival time between P and S waves gives the distance from the seismograph to the earthquake epicenter.

Seismic waves are used to study the crust, mantle, and core of the earth. The interpretation of seismic waves provides information on the physical state of the crust, mantle, and core. The interpretation of seismic waves is based on wave velocity (arrival time), refraction, and reflection of waves as they pass through boundaries between different materials.

There are two basic families of seismic waves. Body waves travel within the earth. There are two types of body waves: compressional (P) waves and shear (S) waves. Primary waves (P-waves) travel the fastest, so they arrive at the recording station (seismograph) first. Secondary or shear waves (S-waves) travel slower than P-waves so they arrive second.

Surface waves are vibrations that are trapped near Earth's surface. There are two types of surface waves: Love waves and Rayleigh waves. Love waves move the ground from side to side; while Rayleigh waves roll along the ground like a wave rolls across a lake or ocean. Because it rolls it moves the ground both up and down and side-to-side in the same direction that the wave is moving. Most of the shaking felt from an earthquake is due to the Rayleigh wave, which can be much larger than the other waves.

The interpretation of seismic waves is based on wave velocity (arrival time), refraction, and reflection of waves as they pass through boundaries between different materials.

Answer 4

when waves from an earthquake reach the instrament, the inertia of the weight keeps it stationary, while earth and the support vibrate. Seismographs amplify and electronically record ground motion.

Answer 5

Seismometers are instruments that measure motions of the ground, including those of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other seismic sources. Records of seismic waves allow seismologists to map the interior of the Earth, and locate and measure the size of these different sources. by ryan boman desmonies ia 50317 dmap as school

Answer 6

a seismograph records the vibrations within the earth with a paper ink.

Answer 7

Seismographs are attached to rods that are inserted into the Earth. When the Earth shakes, like during an earthquake, the movement of the implanted rods sends the waves to the seismograph.

Answer 8

Seismic waves cause the seismograph's drum to vibrate. But the suspended weight with the pen attached moves very little. Therfore the pen stays in place and records the drums vibrations.

Answer 9

A seismic graph can feel the vibrations and scribbles them down on the paper.