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Foxhound101
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Homework Statement
Earthquakes are essentially sound waves traveling through the earth. They are called seismic waves. Because the Earth is solid, it can support both longitudinal and transverse seismic waves. These travel at different speeds. The speed of longitudinal waves, called P waves, is 8000 m/s . Transverse waves, called S waves, travel at a slower 4500 m/s . A seismograph records the two waves from a distant earthquake.
Part A
If the S wave arrives 2.0 min after the P wave, how far away was the earthquake? You can assume that the waves travel in straight lines, although actual seismic waves follow more complex routes.
Express your answer using two significant figures.
time=120 seconds
v=8000 m/s
v=4500 m/s
Homework Equations
V=D/t
The Attempt at a Solution
Not sure how to solve the problem. I tried to calculate how far each wave traveled in 120 seconds, but I don't know what to do after that. There might be other formulas I am supposed to use, but I don't know which ones.
8000m/s = D/120sec
D=960000m
and
4500m/s = D/120sec
D=540000