Seismic waves produced by an earthquake consist mainly of two types: longitudinal (P) waves and transverse (S) waves. At the epicentre the two waves start at the same instant.
(i) A P‐wave recorded by instruments has a wavelength of 2.5km and a frequency of 5Hz. Calculate its speed.
(ii) An S‐wave from the same earthquake has a wavelength of 1.5km and a frequency of 3Hz. Calculate its speed.
(iii) A seismograph station is situated 200km from the epicentre. Using your answers to parts (i) and (ii), compute the time interval between the arrival of the P‐wave and the S‐wave at the station.
(iv) State which of the two waves is transverse and mention one characteristic feature of particle motion for that wave type.