Seismic waves

Question 1

What picks up on seismic waves?

Answer 1

Seismic monitors

Question 2

What are the two types of waves?

Answer 2

Seismic body waves and seismic surface waves

Question 3

What are the two seismic body waves?

Answer 3

Compressional P-waves, Shear S-waves

Question 4

What are the two types of surface waves?

Answer 4

Rayleigh waves, Love waves

Question 5

What are characteristics of rayleigh waves?

Answer 5

Looks like ripples on water. Elliptic motion- wavy motion

Question 6

What are Rayleigh waves?*

Answer 6

Rayleigh waves cause significant damage due to their long wavelengths and relatively high amplitudes. They are a combination of both longitudinal and transverse motion. As they travel, particles of the medium move in elliptical paths which results in a rolling pattern of ground motion

Question 7

What are love waves?

Answer 7

create most of the damage during earthquakes- travel horizontally- similar to shear-waves but bound to the surface of the earth

Question 8

What direction do love waves travel?

Answer 8

Long waves have a purely horizontal movement with no vertical displacement

Question 9

What wave travels through liquid?

Answer 9

Compressional p-waves

Question 10

What are p-waves?*

Answer 10

P-waves are the fastest seismic waves which move in a push-pull compressional motion parallel to the direction of wave propagation. P-waves are used to determine earthquake magnitude and used to understand the Earth’s interior structure

Question 11

What are S-waves?*

Answer 11

S-waves follow p-waves and are the second type of body wave to reach a seismograph station. Absence of S-waves in certain regions indicates the presence of a liquid or gaseous layer meaning scientists can gain insights to the earths composition. Move in a sideways or shear motion perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation