If an earthquake occurred in Seattle,Washington,how long would it take for the first seismic waves to arrive at a seismograph station in Miami,Florida,approximately 5000 kilometers away?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Seismic waves travel at different speeds, but on average, the primary (P) waves, which are the fastest seismic waves, travel at speeds between 5 to 8 kilometers per second. To cover a distance of 5000 kilometers, it would take approximately 625 to 1000 seconds, which is roughly between 10 to 16 minutes. Therefore, the closest approximate time for the first seismic waves to arrive would be around 8 minutes, making option B the most accurate choice.

If an Earthquake Occurred in Seattle,Washington,how Long Would It Take