Seismic Wave Analysis Techniques

This podcast episode from Homix Middle School Earth Science Department reviews the P-Wave and S-Wave chart on page 11 of the reference table. It introduces key seismic terms such as travel time, arrival time, origin time, lag time, and epicenter distance. The episode explains how to read the chart's axes and provides basic and advanced problem-solving examples. It emphasizes the importance of identifying keywords and using the chart to determine travel times and distances. The episode concludes with a method to determine epicenter distance using the chart.

What is the term for the time it takes a seismic wave to reach a seismic station?

• Origin time

• Lag time

• Arrival time

• Travel time

On the P-Wave and S-Wave chart, what does the vertical axis represent?

• Lag time

• Travel time

• Epicenter distance

• Arrival time

If an S-Wave travels for 4 minutes, approximately how far does it travel?

• 1500 kilometers

• 1000 kilometers

• 2000 kilometers

• 500 kilometers

How long does it take a P-Wave to travel 5,000 kilometers?

• 6 minutes

• 7 minutes and 30 seconds

• 8 minutes and 20 seconds

• 9 minutes

What is the origin time if a P-Wave travels 8,000 kilometers and arrives at 11:40 a.m.?

• 11:31 a.m.

• 11:30 a.m.

• 11:29 a.m.

• 11:32 a.m.

If a P-Wave arrives at 12:00 p.m. after traveling 6,000 kilometers, when does the S-Wave arrive?

• 12:08:00

• 12:07:40

• 12:06:20

• 12:05:00

What is the lag time if a P-Wave arrives at 12:00 p.m. and an S-Wave arrives at 12:07:40 p.m.?

• 7 minutes

• 7 minutes and 20 seconds

• 7 minutes and 40 seconds

• 8 minutes

What method is used to determine the epicenter distance using a seismogram?

• Extrapolation method

• Interpolation method

• Wedging method

• Triangulation method

What is the first step in using the wedging method to find the epicenter distance?

• Identify the arrival time

• Determine the origin time

• Calculate the travel time

• Mark the lag time on a piece of paper

Where do you place the marked paper in the wedging method?

• Between the P-Wave and S-Wave curves

• On the horizontal axis

• On the vertical axis

• At the epicenter location