Geology Tutor.

Anyone who needs help with Geology questions. I here to offer my services. Im a geo minor and T.A. at CSU. I can do my best to help you if you get stuck on a question.

Describe the difference between P and S waves as they travel through the Earth.

I'm pretty sure S waves are the slower waves and come after P waves. P waves are longitudinal (when they cross the earth, the waves are compressional like if you take a stretched out slinky and pushed it forward without taking it off the ground), and S waves go side to side, like a snake slithering. Since P waves are faster (speed of soundish), they reach stations before the S waves (half as fast). This delay in time allows geologists to pinpoint the epicenter and then the hypocenter of an earthquake (directly below epicenter)

So the difference is: S waves = slow, side to side
P waves = fast, compressional

there are also Raleigh and Love waves, but those are a different story.

I'm a geology major

You forgot something that greatly shows the difference between p and s waves. What cant go through what? There is also surface waves that no one brought up =P.

Also the fault plane itself help locate the epicenter and focus =P

You forgot to mention that S waves cause the majority of damage due to the way they travel...

I had to take a geology course in first year university...that was 3 years ago. It almost convinced me to go into geological engineering but someone ended up in electrical engineering.

You have to smoke a lot of pot to go into geo. Even the profs do it on field trips.

Im pro economics and ancient history so ill be around if anyone needs halp.