Quiz on Seismic Waves

What are seismic waves primarily caused by?

• Weather changes

• Human activities

• Movements of tectonic plates

• Tsunami

Which type of seismic wave cannot travel through air or water?

• P-waves

• S-waves

• Surface waves

• Rayleigh waves

What type of wave are S-waves also known as?

• Primary waves

• Surface waves

• Shear waves

• Pressure waves

Which seismic wave is typically the most destructive?

• Surface waves

• P-waves

• S-waves

• Body waves

What do Rayleigh or Surface waves resemble?

• Sound waves

• Water waves

• Light waves

• Radio waves

What can seismologists determine using the arrival times of P-waves and S-waves?

• The magnitude of the earthquake

• The type of earthquake

• The distance to the earthquake source

• The depth of the earthquake

What is the particle motion direction in S-waves?

• Circular motion

• Parallel to wave propagation

• Perpendicular to wave propagation

• Random motion

What is the main purpose of studying seismic waves?

• To predict weather patterns

• To find oil and gas

• To understand Earth's internal structure

• To measure atmospheric pressure

What is the main cause of earthquakes?

• animals burrowing underground

• large ocean waves called tsunamis

• erosion of topsoil by rivers

• movement of tectonic plates

This is considered as the fastest kind of seismic waves.

• Love waves

• Body waves

• Primary waves

• Secondary waves