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A little background first.
When an earthquake wave arrives at a seismograph station, the first wave to hit is called the P wave. The second is called the S wave.
It turns out that the P wave is a compression wave and the S wave is a shear wave. A compression wave is a direct shove (or tug) parallel to the direction the wave is traveling. A shear wave is a side-to-side shake at right angles to the direction the wave is traveling; transverse to the travel direction, in other words. Therefore the S wave is also known as a transverse wave.
The letters P and S actually come from the Latin for First and Second, "primus" and 'secundus." The English "primary" and "secondary" doesn't quite have the same meaning, but it will help you remember which arrives when. "Push" and "Shear" or "Shake" will help you remember which kind of wave has which kind of motion.
The time between the P and S wave occurs because the compression wave travels through the Earth faster than the shear wave does. Since the shear wave is slower, the further you are from the epicenter of the earthquake the longer the time between the P and S waves. Seismologists use this to determine how far the epicenter was from the seismograph. And by using distances from three or more seismometer stations at once, they can find the earthquake's epicenter.
Another neat thing about the P and S waves is that a compression wave will go through a fluid like water or air, while a shear wave won't. Because S waves won't go through the outer layers of the Earth's core, we know that those layers are liquid.
What else can I help you with?
What types of waves are p waves and s waves called?
seismic waves
Are also called s waves?
shear waves
Seismic waves that shear rock side to side are called?
seismic waves actually the correct answer is S waves. trust me if you put seismic waves it will be wrong
Waves produced by earthquakes are called?
Waves produced by earthquakes are called seismic waves. These waves can be further categorized into primary (P-waves), secondary (S-waves), and surface waves.
What is another term for secondary waves?
It is called a S Wave
How do seismic waves affect us?
Seismic waves affect us because they are what causes the motion from an earthquake that destroy buildings and such. The three types of seismic waves are surface waves primary waves also called P-waves and secondary waves also called S-waves.
What waves are slower than those that originate at the focus?
The waves that are slower that those that originate at the focus are called secondary waves or S-waves. They are shear waves that are transverse in nature.
When do P waves arrive at the surface in relation to S waves?
P waves arrive before S waves during an earthquake, as P waves are faster and can travel through solid rock, while S waves can only travel through solids and are slower. This difference in arrival time can be used to determine the distance of the earthquake epicenter from the seismograph station.
When an earthquake occurs energy radiates in all directions from it's source which is called?
When an earthquake occurs, the energy that radiates in all directions from its source is called seismic waves. These waves travel through the Earth and can be classified into different types, primarily P-waves (primary waves) and S-waves (secondary waves). P-waves are compressional waves that move fastest, while S-waves are shear waves that follow them. Together, these waves are responsible for the shaking experienced during an earthquake.
What are waves that go out from an earthquakes epicenter called They rock from side to side quickly?
The waves that radiate out from an earthquake's epicenter and move side to side are called secondary waves, or S-waves. These waves are a type of seismic wave that travels through the Earth and are known for their shear motion, which causes the ground to shake laterally. S-waves can only travel through solid materials and are slower than primary waves (P-waves), which are compressional.
What does the S wave and P wave stand for?
In seismology, P waves refer to primary waves, which are the fastest seismic waves that travel through the Earth's interior. S waves, or secondary waves, are slower than P waves and travel only through solid materials, not through liquids or gases. Both types of waves are created by earthquakes and are used to study the Earth's interior.
What waves are that travel outward from the epicenter are called?
Seismic waves that travel outward from the epicenter of an earthquake are referred to as body waves or surface waves. Body waves include P waves and S waves, while surface waves include Love waves and Rayleigh waves.
