As a seismologist with extensive experience in the study of earthquakes and the seismic waves they produce, I can provide a detailed comparison between P waves and S waves. P waves and S waves are two primary types of seismic waves that are generated during an earthquake. They differ in several key aspects: 1. Speed: P waves travel faster than S waves. This is why P waves are often referred to as "primary" waves; they are the first to be detected by seismographs at a distance from the earthquake's epicenter. 2. Composition: P waves are compressional waves, meaning they cause particles in the Earth's material to move back and forth in the same direction as the wave is traveling. S waves, on the other hand, are shear or secondary waves, causing particles to move perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel. 3. Behavior in Media: P waves can travel through both solids and liquids, which is why they can pass through the Earth's outer core, which is liquid. S waves, however, can only travel through solids, so they are unable to pass through the liquid outer core and are confined to the Earth's mantle and crust. 4. Damage Potential: S waves typically cause more damage at the surface than P waves because they shake the ground side to side and up and down, which can lead to more structural damage. P waves cause a less violent, more uniform back-and-forth motion. 5. Detection: Because P waves arrive first and are faster, they can be used to provide an early warning for the arrival of the more destructive S waves, which can be crucial for earthquake early warning systems. In summary, P waves and S waves are distinct in their speed, the way they move through the Earth, their ability to travel through different media, and the type of damage they can cause. read more >>

Energy released during an earthquake travels in the form of waves around the Earth. Two types of seismic wave exist, P- and S-waves. They are different in the way that they travel through the Earth. P-waves (P stands for primary) arrive at the detector first.read more >>