Question

If an earth quake occurred near you would the s waves or p waves reach you first​

Answer 1

P waves would arrive first because they are significantly more faster than the S waves.

Answer 2

If an earthquake occurs nearby, it would be the P waves to reach the Earth's surface first​.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The compressional waves formed during an earthquake are known as P waves.

• These waves are faster than the shear waves (popularly known as S waves) and thus reach the Earth's surface before the shear waves do.

• Sizewise, the P waves are smaller than the S waves and comparatively cause less damage.

• The difference between the time of these waves reaching the Earth's surface allows seismologists to fetch crucial information about the earthquake.