Miriam College Middle School

Quezon City

Second Quarter
Handout No. 1

CN _____ Name ______________________________________________________________

Grade 8, Section ____________________________ Date _____________________________

SCIENCE 8

SEISMIC WAVES

Seismology is the study of earthquakes and seismic waves. A scientist who studies seismology is a
seismologist. Using an instrument called a seismograph, seismologists could determine the strength
and duration of an earthquake as it could detect and record seismic waves.
epicenter
Seismic waves are the vibrations of the earth caused by fault focus
the sudden release of energy stored in rocks during an
earthquake. They carry the energy away from the origin of
the earthquake or focus, then travels through the earth’s
interior, causing the tremors that we feel when an
earthquake occurs.
seismic
Seismic waves could be divided into two categories – the waves
body and the surface waves, which are differentiated
according to their movement and location.

Body waves travel through the earth’s interior and has a higher energy. There are two types of body
waves: the P (primary) wave and the S (secondary) wave. P waves are the fastest and usually the first one
to arrive or be felt. These waves could travel through solids and liquids and are described as compressional
waves. On the other hand, S waves are slower compared to P waves and could travel through solids only.
These are longitudinal waves wherein particles move side to side as well as up and down.

The other type of seismic waves are the surface waves which release lower energy compared to body
waves. But they travel through the earth’s surface and thus create greater destruction to lives and
properties. There are two types of surface waves: L (love) waves and R (Rayleigh) waves. L waves are
the fastest surface waves and move the ground side to side. R waves cause rolling motion in the ground
and therefore move the particles up and down, causing great destruction.

Reference:
Rabago, L. M. Science and Technology 8. Quezon City: Vibal Publishing House, Inc. 2014
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