There are several different kinds of seismic waves, and they all move in different ways. The two main types of waves are body waves and surface waves.

Seismic waves are the waves of energy caused by the sudden breaking of rock within the earth or an explosion. They are the energy that travels through the earth and is recorded on seismographs.

1. What are Seismic Waves?What are Seismic Waves?
Presentation based upon information retrieved from: http://www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/waves.html
Movie clips from United Streaming

2. What do you know about Waves?What do you know about Waves?
•Where are they?Where are they?
•What do waves do?What do waves do?
•How many different wave types are How many different wave types are
there?there?
•Are waves important to all of us?Are waves important to all of us?
•Why or why not?Why or why not?
•Name different types of waves.Name different types of waves.

3. Wave CharacteristicsWave Characteristics

4. Types of WavesTypes of Waves
•Compression waveCompression wave
•Transverse WaveTransverse Wave
•Seismic WaveSeismic Wave
–Body WavesBody Waves
•Primary or p-wave Primary or p-wave
–Compression waveCompression wave
•Secondary or s-wave Secondary or s-wave
–Transverse waveTransverse wave
–SurfaceSurface
•Love waveLove wave
•Rayleigh waveRayleigh wave

5. Seismic WaveSeismic Wave
•Seismic wavesSeismic waves are the waves of energy are the waves of energy
caused by the sudden breaking of rock within caused by the sudden breaking of rock within
the earth or an explosion. They are the the earth or an explosion. They are the
energy that travels through the earth and is energy that travels through the earth and is
recorded on seismographs. recorded on seismographs.
•There are several different kinds of seismic There are several different kinds of seismic
waves, and they all move in different ways. waves, and they all move in different ways.
The two main types of waves are The two main types of waves are body wavesbody waves
and and surface wavessurface waves. .

6. Body WavesBody Waves
•P Waves (compression wave)P Waves (compression wave)
•The first kind of body wave is the The first kind of body wave is the P waveP wave or or primary waveprimary wave. This . This
is the fastest kind of seismic wave. The P wave can move is the fastest kind of seismic wave. The P wave can move
through solid rock and fluids, like water or the liquid layers of through solid rock and fluids, like water or the liquid layers of
the earth. It pushes and pulls the rock it moves through just like the earth. It pushes and pulls the rock it moves through just like
sound waves push and pull the air.sound waves push and pull the air.

7. Stop and ThinkStop and Think
•Have you ever heard a big clap of thunder Have you ever heard a big clap of thunder
and heard the windows rattle at the same and heard the windows rattle at the same
timetime? ?
•The windows rattle because the sound The windows rattle because the sound
waves were pushing and pulling on the waves were pushing and pulling on the
window glass much like P waves push window glass much like P waves push
and pull on rock. Sometimes animals and pull on rock. Sometimes animals
can hear the P waves of an earthquake. can hear the P waves of an earthquake.
Usually we only feel the bump and Usually we only feel the bump and
rattle of these waves.rattle of these waves.

8. Body WavesBody Waves
•S wave (transverse wave)S wave (transverse wave)
•The second type of body wave is the The second type of body wave is the S waveS wave or or secondary secondary
wavewave, which is the second wave you feel in an earthquake. , which is the second wave you feel in an earthquake.
An S wave is slower than a P wave and can only move An S wave is slower than a P wave and can only move
through solid rock. This wave moves rock up and down, or through solid rock. This wave moves rock up and down, or
side-to-side.side-to-side.

9. Surface Waves Surface Waves
•Love WavesLove Waves
•The first kind of surface wave is called a The first kind of surface wave is called a Love waveLove wave, ,
named after A.E.H. Love, a British mathematician who named after A.E.H. Love, a British mathematician who
worked out the mathematical model for this kind of wave worked out the mathematical model for this kind of wave
in 1911. It's the fastest surface wave and moves the in 1911. It's the fastest surface wave and moves the
ground from side-to-side.ground from side-to-side.

10. Surface WavesSurface Waves
•Rayleigh WavesRayleigh Waves
•The other kind of surface wave is the The other kind of surface wave is the Rayleigh waveRayleigh wave, named for John , named for John
William Strutt, Lord Rayleigh, who mathematically predicted the existence William Strutt, Lord Rayleigh, who mathematically predicted the existence
of this kind of wave in 1885. A Rayleigh wave rolls along the ground just of this kind of wave in 1885. A Rayleigh wave rolls along the ground just
like a wave rolls across a lake or an ocean. Because it rolls, it moves the like a wave rolls across a lake or an ocean. Because it rolls, it moves the
ground up and down, and side-to-side in the same direction that the wave ground up and down, and side-to-side in the same direction that the wave
is moving. Most of the shaking felt from an earthquake is due to the is moving. Most of the shaking felt from an earthquake is due to the
Rayleigh wave, which can be much larger than the other waves.Rayleigh wave, which can be much larger than the other waves.