Definitions and descriptions of a variety of seismic waves such as S, P, Love, and Rayleigh waves, as well as diagrams and speeds.

Basic definitions and characteristics of the different wave types, diagrams, and speeds of the waves. Has links to information on seismology, earthquakes, and plate tectonics.

This resource describes the two different types of seismic waves and how they travel through the earth, offers diagrams of the waves, their speeds, and how seismograms are used to locate earthquakes.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This study guide summarizes key points about types of seismic waves. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.

This resource describes how seismic waves have helped us to understand the composition of the Earth's interior. It discusses seismic discontinuities, including the Mohorovicic Discontinuity or Moho, and what we have learned about the...

Using a technique called seismic tomography, scientists decoded the information contained in seismograms' squiggles to develop this image of an individual slice through the deep Earth.

College-level research information describes how the movement of Earth's interior causes seismic wave activity.

This illustrated fact sheet shows how S and P waves each travel at varying speeds and therefore arrive at seismic stations at different times.

This site is primarily set up as an outline and is loaded with graphs, maps, and images. It covers a variety of earthquake-related topics, such as what causes earthquakes, fault lines and structures, seismology, a historical look at...

An informative site that explains how and where earthquakes occur and the different types of faults. Contains maps and charts of fault lines, plate edges, and the continental plates. There are other links within the site of related...

Earthquakes create seismic waves that travel through the Earth. By analyzing these seismic waves, seismologists can explore the Earth's deep interior. This fact sheet uses data from the 1994 magnitude 6.9 earthquake near Northridge,...

This website explains how the Richter and Mercalli Scales work.

Discussion of liquefaction and landslides which are two of the many effects of earthquakes.

The basics of earthquake science including factual information about how and why they happen. Also includes some hands-on activities and experiments for students.

Described on this site is Inge Lehmann (1888-1993 CE), the female scientist, studied seismic waves generated by deep focus earthquakes, discovered that the earth had an inner core.

A comprehensive site on plate tectonics and the Earth. Read how the oceanic and continental crusts, as well as the heat and the pressure within the Earth affect plate tectonics.

An overview of measuring earthquake magnitude.

Discover why earthquakes happen, how we measure them, and why they only happen on Earth.

When you look at a seismogram, there will be wiggly lines all across it. So which wiggles are the earthquake? This site answers this question.

Information about earthquakes including causes and how they are measured.

This resource provides definitions of important earthquake related terms.