Three principal types of earthquake waves exist: the S-wave, a transverse body wave; the P-wave, a longitudinal body wave; and the L-wave, which propagates along the boundary of stratified mediums.

What is primary and secondary waves?

Primary waves, also known as P waves or pressure waves, are longitudinal compression waves similar to the motion of a slinky (SF Fig. 7.1 A). Secondary waves, or S waves, are slower than P waves.

What are examples of primary waves?

For example, sound waves are P waves at a high enough frequency to hear with your ear. An example of an S wave is wiggling or shaking a rope which is tied down at one or both ends. Both P and S waves travel outward from an earthquake focus inside the earth.

What are the 4 types of primary waves?

Love Waves—surface waves that move parallel to the Earth’s surface and perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation..
P-wave Motion. P-wave:the primary body wave; the first seismic wave detected by seismographs; able to move through both liquid and solid rock. S-wave Motion. Rayleigh-wave Motion. Love-wave Motion.

What are Love and Rayleigh waves?

Love waves have a horizontal motion that moves the surface from side to side perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling. Of the two surface waves, Love waves move faster. Rayleigh waves cause the ground to shake in an elliptical pattern. This motion is similar to that observed in ocean waves.

What are the 3 seismic waves?

There are three major kinds of seismic waves: P, S, and surface waves. P and S waves together are sometimes called body waves because they can travel through the body of the earth, and are not trapped near the surface.

What are secondary waves in geography?

Secondary waves cause the rocks they pass through to change in shape. These waves are the second fastest traveling seismic waves (after primary waves) and can travel through solids but not through liquids or gases. Also called shear wave S wave See Note at earthquake.

What is secondary wave motion?

The S-wave (secondary or shear wave) follows more slowly, with a swaying, rolling motion that shakes the ground back and forth perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Are secondary waves transverse or longitudinal?

Body waves travel through the interior of the earth, and have two main types: P-Waves (Primary waves) are Longitudinal Waves. S-Waves (Secondary waves) are Transverse Waves.

What is meant by P waves?

A P wave, or compressional wave, is a seismic body wave that shakes the ground back and forth in the same direction and the opposite direction as the direction the wave is moving.

What are the main features of primary waves?

Answer: Primary Waves are compressional which means they move through (compress) a solid or liquid by pushing or pulling similar to the way sound travels through the air. The particles of the material a P Wave pushes through move in the direction of the Primary wave’s energy.

What is characteristics of primary waves?

Seismic P waves are also called compressional or longitudinal waves, they compress and expand (oscillate) the ground back and forth in the direction of travel, like sound waves that move back and forth as the waves travel from source to receiver. P wave is the fastest wave.

What are the 2 types of body waves?

Body waves are of two types: Primary waves (also called P-waves, or pressure waves) and Secondary waves (S-waves, or shear waves).

Which is more destructive Love or Rayleigh?

Love waves move back and forth horizontally. Rayleigh waves cause both vertical and horizontal ground motion. These can be the most destructive waves as they roll along lifting and dropping the ground as they pass. Want to learn more about earthquakes?

What is Rayleigh waves in geography?

A Rayleigh wave is a seismic surface wave causing the ground to shake in an elliptical motion, with no transverse, or perpendicular, motion.

Are Rayleigh waves transverse or longitudinal?

Rayleigh waves are a type of surface wave that travel near the surface of solids. Rayleigh waves include both longitudinal and transverse motions that decrease exponentially in amplitude as distance from the surface increases.

Where do Rayleigh waves travel?

Rayleigh waves travel along the free surface of an elastic solid such as the Earth. Their motion is a combination of longitudinal compression and dilation that results in an elliptical motion…