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A primary wave is a strong vibration or wave that hits earths surface (P) and a secondary wave (S) is a wave that hits soon after but not nearly as big.

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Are primary seismic waves slower than secondary waves?

Primary waves are called so because they are the first to arrive, and secondary waves are called so because they arrive second. Based on this logic I would say no. There is in fact a marked difference, which is used to tell how far away the epicenter is from a particular seismograph.


A person located twice as far from the epicenter of an earthquake as another person will notice tat the time between the arrival of the primary and secondary waves will be?

Twice as long. The interval between the arrival of the primary and secondary waves doubles with every doubling of the distance from the epicenter due to the different velocities of the waves.


What is the p-s interval?

It is the difference in arrival time between the primary and secondary waves. Primary waves always arrive first because they have a higher velocity. The interval value is used in determining the location of an earthquake.


Geologists use the difference in the arrival times of P waves and S waves at a seismograph to determine?

the distance to the earthquake's epicenter. P waves, or primary waves, travel faster than S waves, or secondary waves, so the interval between their arrival times can be used to calculate the distance the seismic waves have traveled. By measuring this time difference at different seismograph stations, geologists can triangulate the epicenter of the earthquake.


Which is faster a primary wave or a secondary wave?

Primary waves (P-waves) travel faster than secondary waves (S-waves) through the Earth's interior. P-waves are compressional waves that can travel through solids, liquids, and gases, while S-waves are shear waves that only travel through solids.

Related Questions

What happens to the time difference between primary and secondary wave as the distance traveled gets longer?

As the distance traveled by the primary and secondary waves increases, the time difference between them also increases. This is because primary waves travel faster through the Earth than secondary waves, resulting in a greater time gap between their arrivals at a given location.


What happens to the time difference between primary and secondary waves as the distance traveled get longer?

the secondary wave breaks up


What happens to the time difference between primary and secondary waves as the distance travels longer?

The secondary wave breaks up.


What happens to the time difference between primary and secondary waves as the distance traveled gets longer?

The time difference between primary (P) and secondary (S) waves becomes larger as the distance traveled by the waves increases. This is because P-waves travel faster than S-waves, so the time delay between their arrivals at a seismometer station increases with distance.


Are the primary waves faster then the secondary waves?

Primary seismic waves travel the fastest.


What are the waves that arrive after primary waves in the Earth?

Secondary waves.


What waves are there for earthquakes?

Primary waves, Secondary waves, and Seismic waves


What is the difference between the speed of primary rays and the speed of secondary waves?

Primary rays, or P-waves, are faster than secondary waves, or S-waves. P-waves travel through both solid and liquid, while S-waves only travel through solid material. P-waves have a higher velocity because they are compressional waves, whereas S-waves are shear waves that move slower due to the resistance of the material.


What is the primary difference between mechanical and electromagnetic waves?

The primary difference between mechanical and electromagnetic waves is how they travel. Mechanical waves require a medium, such as air or water, to propagate, while electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum, like in space.


What type of waves are genered by earthquakes?

Primary Waves, Secondary Waves, and Surface Waves.


What types of waves are in an earthquake?

P waves (primary waves) and S waves (secondary waves).


Are primary seismic waves slower than secondary waves?

Primary waves are called so because they are the first to arrive, and secondary waves are called so because they arrive second. Based on this logic I would say no. There is in fact a marked difference, which is used to tell how far away the epicenter is from a particular seismograph.