An earthquake occurs far from an observing station.
A) The last waves to arrive are P waves.
B) The last waves to arrive are S waves.
C) The last waves to arrive are surface waves.
D) All the waves arrive at the same time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an earthquake occurs far from an observing station, it takes time for the seismic waves to travel that distance. The last waves to arrive are the surface waves, which have to travel through the earth's surface and are therefore slower than P and S waves. P waves are the first to arrive, followed by S waves, and then surface waves. Therefore, choice C is the best choice.

An Earthquake Occurs Far from an Observing Station