GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Explanation: P waves are the first seismic wave to reach an area. The p wave has a much smaller amplitude and lower frequencies than S waves or surface waves so they do much less damage.

Detailed explanation-2: -P waves are compressional waves that do not produce much damage. They can move through any type of material and travel at almost twice the speed of S waves. High frequency P waves do not weaken, or “attenuate, ” as rapidly as S waves so they retain higher frequencies when they arrive at seismic stations.

Detailed explanation-3: -A: P waves, or compressional waves, are seismic body waves that shake the ground back and forth in the direction that the wave is moving. P waves travel fastest and are generally felt first. They usually cause very little damage.

Detailed explanation-4: -S waves are more dangerous than P waves because they have greater amplitude and produce vertical and horizontal motion of the ground surface. The slowest waves, surface waves, arrive last. They travel only along the surface of the Earth. There are two types of surface waves: Love and Rayleigh waves.

Detailed explanation-5: -An earthquake also causes secondary or shear waves, called S waves. These travel at about half the speed of P waves, but can be much more destructive. S waves move the earth perpendicularly to the direction the wave is traveling.