Question

What are the two main types of Seismic Waves?

Answer 1

Seismic waves:

1. Seismic waves are created by the abrupt movement of elements within the Earth, such as fault slips during an earthquake.
2. Seismic waves can be caused by volcanic eruptions, explosions, landslides, avalanches, and even flowing rivers.

Types of Seismic waves:

1. Body waves:
   1. Body waves are seismic waves that travel into the earth's interior, as opposed to surface waves, which travel near the earth's surface.
   2. Body waves are P (compressional waves) and S waves (shear waves).
   3. The earth shakes in different ways depending on the type of wave.
   4. Body waves are low-amplitude, impulsive signals that travel through the mantle and core over a variety of routes at teleseismic distances.
2. Surface waves:
   1. A surface wave is a mechanical wave that propagates at the interface of two different mediums in physics.
   2. Gravity waves on the surface of liquids, such as ocean waves, are a frequent example.
   3. Gravity waves may also arise within liquids, for as at the interface of two fluids of differing densities.