Question
Which statement is true about P waves?
They travel faster than S waves.
They cannot be recorded on a seismograph.
They are the most destructive type of seismic wave.
They travel faster than S waves.
They cannot be recorded on a seismograph.
They are the most destructive type of seismic wave.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The true statement about P waves is:
**They travel faster than S waves.**
P waves, or primary waves, are compressional waves that travel through solids, liquids, and gases, and they are the first waves detected by seismographs during an earthquake. In contrast, S waves, or secondary waves, are shear waves that can only travel through solids and are slower than P waves. The other statements are false: P waves can be recorded on seismographs, and they are not the most destructive type of seismic wave; that distinction typically goes to surface waves.
**They travel faster than S waves.**
P waves, or primary waves, are compressional waves that travel through solids, liquids, and gases, and they are the first waves detected by seismographs during an earthquake. In contrast, S waves, or secondary waves, are shear waves that can only travel through solids and are slower than P waves. The other statements are false: P waves can be recorded on seismographs, and they are not the most destructive type of seismic wave; that distinction typically goes to surface waves.