Seismograph a records p waves at 6:05 pm and s waves at 6:10 pm. Seismograph b records p waves at 6:10 pm and s waves at 6:25 pm. What is the difference in the arrival times at each device? Which device is closer to the earthquake's epicenter?

Question

Whitney

Geography

31 December, 14:56

Seismograph a records p waves at 6:05 pm and s waves at 6:10 pm. Seismograph b records p waves at 6:10 pm and s waves at 6:25 pm. What is the difference in the arrival times at each device? Which device is closer to the earthquake's epicenter?

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Answers (1)

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Augustus Harding · Answer 1

For seismograph A, the lag time is

5 minutes (difference between 6:10 and 6:05)

For seismograph B, the lag time is

15 minutes (difference between 6:25 and 6:10)

Assuming that earthquake waves have a constant velocity during the earthquake, then the seismograph with the shorter lag time is closer to the epicenter. So,

Seismograph is closes to the earthquake's epicenter