GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -P waves travel fastest and are the first to arrive from the earthquake. In S or shear waves, rock oscillates perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. In rock, S waves generally travel about 60% the speed of P waves, and the S wave always arrives after the P wave.

Detailed explanation-2: -There are two types of seismic waves, primary waves 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.

Detailed explanation-3: -Velocity of Body Waves P-waves will always travel faster than S-waves due to the way they deform the material they are traveling through and the restoring forces of that material. Its also important to understand that S-waves can’t travel through liquids.

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.

Detailed explanation-5: -Earthquakes shake the ground because fault rupture releases vibrations that radiate in the form of seismic energy. These earthquake waves, also called body waves, come in two distinct forms: Primary or “P” waves and Secondary or “S” waves.