Earthquakes

A seismic station recorded the P-waves, but no S-waves, from an earthquake because S-waves were

• 
  absorbed by Earth's outer core

• 
  transmitted only through liquids

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Which table below correctly shows the characteristics of seismic waves when they reach liquid material?

• 
• 
• 
• 

The magnitude of an earthquake is a number that represents the

• arrival time of the first P-wave

• 
  difference in arrival times between P- and S-waves

• energy released by an earthquake

• distance to the epicenter

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Why are P-waves received, but S-waves are not received by seismic stations located on the opposite side of Earth from an earthquake epicenter?

• S-waves travel slower than P-waves.

• 
  S-waves travel faster than P-waves.

• Earth's inner core absorbs S-waves

• Earth's outer core absorbs S-waves.

The first S-wave of an earthquake took 10 minutes 40 seconds to travel to a seismic station from the epicenter of an earthquake. How much time did it take for the first P-wave to travel that distance?

• 4 minutes and 40 seconds

• 6 minutes

Base your answer to the question on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents a cut-away view of Earth's interior and the paths of some of the seismic waves produced by an earthquake that originated below Earth's surface. Points A, B, and C represent seismic stations on Earth's surface. Only P-waves were recorded at seismic station C because P-waves travel

• only through Earth's interior, and S-waves travel only on Earth's surface

• fast enough to penetrate the core, and S-waves travel too slowly

• through iron and nickel, while S-waves cannot

• through liquids, while S-waves cannot

Seismic station A is 5000 kilometers from the epicenter. What is the difference between the arrival time of the first P-wave and the arrival time of the first S-wave recorded at this station?

• 2 minutes and 20 seconds

• 6 minutes and 40 seconds

• 8 minutes and 20 seconds

• 15 minutes

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

What is the approximate P-wave travel time from an earthquake if the P-wave arrives at the seismic station 8 minutes before the S-wave?

• 4 minutes and 20 seconds

• 6 minutes and 30 seconds

• 10 minutes

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

A P-wave takes 5 minutes to travel from the epicenter of an earthquake to a seismic station. Approximately how many minutes will it take an S-wave to travel that same distance?

• 15 min

• 12 min

• 9 min

• 4 min

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

The epicenter of an earthquake is located 6,500 kilometers away from a seismic station. If the first S-wave arrived at this seismic station at 1:30 p.m., at what time did the first P-wave arrive?

• 1:20 PM

• 1:22 PM

• 1:38 PM

• 1:40 PM