P And S-Wave Chart Practice Answer Key
Introduction
Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through the earth's crust. They are generated by the movement of tectonic plates, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and human activities such as mining and construction. Seismic waves are used by scientists to study the interior of the earth and to detect earthquakes.
What are P and S waves?
P and S waves are two types of seismic waves. P waves are primary waves that travel faster than S waves and can travel through solids, liquids, and gases. S waves are secondary waves that travel slower than P waves and can only travel through solids.
How to read a P and S-wave chart?
A P and S-wave chart is a graph that shows the arrival times of P and S waves at different distances from an earthquake epicenter. The chart is used to determine the distance of an earthquake epicenter from a seismic station.
To read a P and S-wave chart, you need to know the arrival times of P and S waves at a seismic station. The time difference between the arrival of P and S waves is used to calculate the distance of the earthquake epicenter from the seismic station.
P and S-wave chart practice answer key
Here is a P and S-wave chart practice question:
At a seismic station, the P wave arrived at 9:00:00 AM and the S wave arrived at 9:02:00 AM. What was the distance of the earthquake epicenter from the seismic station?
The time difference between the arrival of P and S waves is 2 minutes.
Using the P and S-wave chart, we can find the distance of the earthquake epicenter from the seismic station. The chart shows that at a distance of 1000 km, the time difference between the arrival of P and S waves is 2 minutes.
Therefore, the distance of the earthquake epicenter from the seismic station is 1000 km.
Conclusion
Reading P and S-wave charts is an important skill for seismologists and earthquake scientists. By understanding how to read these charts, we can determine the distance of an earthquake epicenter from a seismic station and better understand the movement of seismic waves through the earth's crust.