Table of Contents
- 1 What type of seismic wave is the most destructive?
- 2 What is the slowest-moving most damaging seismic waves called?
- 3 Which of the three basic types of seismic wave is likely to cause the greatest destruction to buildings?
- 4 Which waves are responsible for the earthquake?
- 5 What is the slowest type of seismic wave?
- 6 How do seismic waves affect earthquakes?
What type of seismic wave is the most destructive?
Although surface waves travel more slowly than S-waves, they can be much larger in amplitude and can be the most destructive type of seismic wave. There are two basic kinds of surface waves: Rayleigh waves, also called ground roll, travel as ripples similar to those on the surface of water.
What are waves the most destructive seismic waves?
Rayleigh waves are the rolling waves. These waves roll as water waves roll in sea or ocean these are the most destructive waves. These seismic waves produce a long wave on the seismographs.
What is the slowest-moving most damaging seismic waves called?
Surface waves are to blame for most of an earthquake’s carnage. They move up and down the surface of the Earth, rocking the foundations of man-made structures. Surface waves are the slowest moving of all waves, which means they arrive the last. So the most intense shaking usually comes at the end of an earthquake.
Why are seismic waves the most destructive?
During an earthquake, high-frequency seismic waves cause major damage because the resonance frequency of most man-made structures - homes, bridges, roads – falls within their frequency range . Resonance frequency is the tendency to naturally oscillate at certain frequencies.
L-waves
Of the two types of surface waves, the L-waves are the most destructive. They can literally move the ground beneath a building faster than the building itself can respond, effectively shearing the base off of the rest of the building.
Which of the three basic types of seismic wave is likely to cause the greatest destruction to buildings?
Unit 2 Review
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What type of seismic wave causes the greatest destruction to buildings? | surface waves |
| What are three major differences between P and S waves? | speed, what type of material they can move through, direction of the movement |
Why are surface waves more destructive to buildings than the initial seismic wave in an earthquake?
Because the amplitude of surface waves diminishes less rapidly with distance than the amplitude of P or S waves, surface waves are often the most important component of ground shaking far from the earthquake source, thus can be the most destructive. These waves travel in paths through the Earth.
Which waves are responsible for the earthquake?
The two main types of waves are body waves and surface waves. Body waves can travel through the Earth’s inner layers, but surface waves can only move along the surface of the planet like ripples on water. Earthquakes send out seismic energy as both body and surface waves.
What are the 3 main types of seismic waves?
P- Waves ( Primary Waves)
What is the slowest type of seismic wave?
Surface waves are the slowest seismic waves and are the final waves to hit an area after an earthquake. First, P-waves move through compression through the deep layers of the Earth. P-waves are also carried by air and water, causing them to make a sound when they hit the Earth’s surface.
What are facts about P waves?
Fast Facts: – These waves can also help to determine the depths of layers of molten and semi-molten rock and other things within the earth. When there is an earthquake about to occur, Primary Waves are the first one to arrive. P-waves can move through both solid rocks and fluids and S-waves can only move through solid rock.
How do seismic waves affect earthquakes?
During an earthquake, energy is released in seismic waves that travel from where the earthquake starts, a place called the focus. The seismic waves radiate from the focus. Seismic waves cause intense shaking at the Earth surface that can cause buildings and roads to collapse.