Question
How are S waves and surface waves similar?
Both arrive after P waves.
Both compress the ground.
Both travel through liquids.
Both produce minimal ground motion.
Both arrive after P waves.
Both compress the ground.
Both travel through liquids.
Both produce minimal ground motion.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
S waves (secondary waves) and surface waves are similar in that **both arrive after P waves** when an earthquake occurs.
To elaborate:
- **Both arrive after P waves:** In an earthquake, P waves (primary waves) are the fastest and arrive first, followed by S waves and then surface waves.
- **Both compress the ground:** This statement is not accurate. S waves do not compress the ground; they shear the material sideways. Surface waves, on the other hand, can cause both vertical and horizontal ground motion.
- **Both travel through liquids:** This is incorrect. S waves cannot travel through liquids, while P waves can.
- **Both produce minimal ground motion:** This is also incorrect. Surface waves typically produce the most ground motion and are responsible for much of the damage during an earthquake, while S waves also generate significant motion but are not considered minimal.
Thus, the primary similarity is that they both arrive after P waves during seismic events.
To elaborate:
- **Both arrive after P waves:** In an earthquake, P waves (primary waves) are the fastest and arrive first, followed by S waves and then surface waves.
- **Both compress the ground:** This statement is not accurate. S waves do not compress the ground; they shear the material sideways. Surface waves, on the other hand, can cause both vertical and horizontal ground motion.
- **Both travel through liquids:** This is incorrect. S waves cannot travel through liquids, while P waves can.
- **Both produce minimal ground motion:** This is also incorrect. Surface waves typically produce the most ground motion and are responsible for much of the damage during an earthquake, while S waves also generate significant motion but are not considered minimal.
Thus, the primary similarity is that they both arrive after P waves during seismic events.