Which earthquake wave is more destructive?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking which type of earthquake wave causes more destruction during an earthquake. It aims to understand the differences in destructiveness between the various seismic waves, such as P-waves, S-waves, and surface waves.

More Information

Surface waves cause the most damage because they have larger amplitudes and longer durations compared to P-waves and S-waves. They decay slower with distance, meaning they can affect a wider area.

Tips

A common mistake is to confuse the speed of waves with their destructiveness. P-waves arrive first but are not the most destructive.

Sources

• The most destructive earthquake waves are ______. - toppr.com
• [Solved] Which of the following earthquake waves are more destructive - testbook.com
• Earthquake | Seismic waves as body waves and surface waves - sms-tsunami-warning.com