Seismic waves

• Earthquakes create P-waves, S-waves and surface waves.
• P-waves;

  • Longitudinal waves
  • Can travel through solids and liquids
  • Fastest
• S-waves;

  • Transverse waves
  • Only travel through solids
  • Slower than P-waves
• As waves travel though the earth they are refracted as the different layers of the earth have different densities.
• Scientists were able to discover the internal structure of the earth by measuring which types of waves could be detected at different places.
• Surface waves;

  • Only occur on surface
  • Are the slowest but the strongest.