• Seismic Waves
• Body waves- travel through
the interior of the earth
and can be separated into 2
types
• P wave
• primary wave moves
the fastest
• travels by compressing
and releasing the
material through which
is travels
• Surface waves- travel on
the surface of the earth
and can be separated
into 2 types as well
• Love waves
• Fastest surface wave
• Moves in a horizontal
perpendicular
motion to the
direction of
movement
• S wave
• Secondary wave
moves slower than p
wave
• travels by shearing
the material in a
vertical
perpendicular
motion to the
direction of
movement
• Rayleigh waves
• Slowest surface
wave
• Rolls along the
ground like a wave
on the ocean and
moves ground side
to side and up and
down.
• Causes most of the
shaking
• Frequency, amplification, and resonance
• Earthquakes cause the ground to vibrate
• The number of times the ground vibrates per
unit of time is the frequency (how often is it
shaking?)
• Resonance is when a specific frequency causes
the vibrations to amplify
• Amplification causes greater damage to
buildings
• Acceleration
• This is the change of speed in an object over
time
• The quicker the acceleration the more damage
is done