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# What are Seismic Waves? Seismic waves are a form of energy caused by the sudden breaking of rock within the Earth or an explosion. This energy travels through the Earth and is recorded on seismographs. ## Types of Seismic Waves: - **Body waves:** Travel through the Earth's inner layers. - **S...

# What are Seismic Waves? Seismic waves are a form of energy caused by the sudden breaking of rock within the Earth or an explosion. This energy travels through the Earth and is recorded on seismographs. ## Types of Seismic Waves: - **Body waves:** Travel through the Earth's inner layers. - **Surface waves:** Move along the surface of the planet, like ripples on water. - **Earthquakes** radiate seismic energy, both body and surface waves. ## Body Waves - Body waves arrive before the surface waves emitted by an earthquake. - Have a higher frequency than surface waves. - **Primary (P) waves:** Also known as compressional waves - The fastest kind of seismic wave and consequently, the first to arrive at a seismic station. - Can move through solid rock and fluids, like water. - **Secondary (S) waves:** Also known as shear waves. - Are slower than P waves and arrive at a seismic station after P waves. - Can only travel through solid rock, not fluids. ## Surface Waves - Are slower than body waves and arrive at a seismic station after body waves. - Cause the most damage. There are two types of surface waves: - **Love waves:** Also known as shear-horizontal waves. - Move from side to side like a snake. - Can only travel through solids. - **Rayleigh Waves:** Also known as ground roll. - Motion is similar to ocean waves. - Travel through both solids and liquids.