Final answer:
Seismic waves are felt first as P-waves, followed by S-waves, and finally surface waves, which align with option A) P-waves, S-waves, surface waves. P-waves travel fastest and S-waves cannot pass through the liquid core, leading to surface waves causing the most damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct order in which seismic waves are felt on Earth is P-waves, S-waves, and then surface waves. This corresponds to Option A) P-waves, S-waves, surface waves. The physics of earthquakes involves studying both longitudinal waves (P-waves) and transverse waves (S-waves), which propagate at different speeds due to the rigidity of the medium they travel through. P-waves are the fastest and are felt first, followed by the slower S-waves, which cause more intense shaking. Finally, surface waves, which cause the most damage, are felt.
P-waves, or primary waves, travel at speeds of 4 to 7 km/s, while S-waves, or secondary waves, travel at 2 to 5 km/s. The difference in arrival times between P-waves and S-waves at seismograph stations is used to determine the distance to the earthquake's epicenter. P-waves travel faster and arrive first because they are longitudinal waves that can move through both solid and liquid layers of the Earth. S-waves, being transverse waves, can only move through solid materials and are thus slower and do not travel through the Earth's liquid core. Surface waves travel along the Earth's surface and arrive last, but they are the most damaging due to their larger amplitude and longer duration.