Seismic Waves

Question 1

What are the two types of seismic waves?

Answer 1

P-waves
S-waves

Question 2

Features of P-wave

Answer 2

Longitudinal
Can travel through solids and liquids
A lot faster than s-waves

Question 3

Features of S waves

Answer 3

Transverse
Can only travel through solids

Question 4

What is the scientific use for seismic waves

Answer 4

Help scientist understand what the Earth is made of
(Internal structure)

Question 5

How do they use seismic waves to find the internal structure?

Answer 5

They can detect the waves using a seismometer
Compare the results with other seismologists around the world
Calculate the time taken from the earthquake site to different parts of the earth

Question 6

What three things can happen when the seismic waves reach the boundary?

Answer 6

They can be reflected
Absorbed
Transmitted ( often refracted)

Question 7

What happens to p waves as they travel through the Earth?

Answer 7

As it goes through the mantle and the liquid article because they’re not all the same density and sudden changes in density, they curve

Question 8

What happens to S waves as they travel through the Earth?

Answer 8

As they can’t travel through liquid, they can’t get through the liquid out of core and so are reflected off back through the mantle and so won’t reach the seismologists around the opposite end of the earth