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Two types of earthquake wave
Earthquakes produce seismic waves. P-waves are longitudinal: the material oscillates parallel to the direction of energy transfer. They can travel through solids and liquids, with different speeds in different materials. S-waves are transverse: their oscillations are perpendicular to energy transfer. They can pass through solids but cannot travel through liquids. Seismometers at different locations record the waves arriving from an earthquake.
