Stress waves
A seismic wave is a type of energy wave that is generated by an earthquake or other geologic activity. These waves travel through the Earth and can be detected and measured by seismographs. Seismic waves provide important information about the structure and composition of the Earth's interior.
p waves aka primary waves
Surface waves, such as Love waves or Rayleigh waves, are the seismic waves that cannot be detected on the side of Earth opposite an earthquake. These waves travel along the Earth's surface and are responsible for causing most of the damage during an earthquake.
During an earthquake, seismic waves are released. These waves travel through the Earth and can be detected by seismographs. The main types of seismic waves are P-waves (primary waves), S-waves (secondary waves), and surface waves.
A P wave is a type of seismic wave that travels through the Earth's interior. It is a compressional wave, meaning the particles it passes through move in the same direction as the wave itself. P waves are the fastest seismic waves and are the first to be detected during an earthquake.
The fastest seismic wave that moves back and forth is the P-wave, or primary wave. P-waves are compressional waves that travel through solids, liquids, and gases and are the first to be detected during an earthquake. They move by causing particles in the material they travel through to vibrate in the same direction as the wave's propagation.
The band around the Earth where seismic waves are not detected is called the "shadow zone." This region exists between 105 to 140 degrees from the epicenter of an earthquake and is caused by the refraction of seismic waves within the Earth's core. It is divided into two main parts, the P-wave shadow zone and the S-wave shadow zone.
shadow zone
An area on Earth's surface where no direct seismic waves from a particular earthquake can be detected.
things that can cause seismic waves are earthquackes
The total energy in a seismic wave remains constant as the wave grows larger. The energy is spread out over a larger area, resulting in lower energy concentration at any specific point.
The printout from a seismograph is called a seismogram. It is a graphical representation of the seismic waves detected by the seismograph during an earthquake or other ground-shaking event.