Science Common Sense
340 - How do earthquakes help us learn about the Earth’s interior?
Earthquakes help us learn about the Earth's interior in several ways:
- Seismic waves: When an earthquake happens, it creates seismic waves that travel through the Earth. These waves move at different speeds depending on what they pass through (like solid rock or liquid).
- Speed changes: As seismic waves pass through different layers of the Earth, their speed changes. This helps us understand what the layers are made of.
- Reflection and refraction: When seismic waves hit a boundary between two layers, they bend or bounce back. This tells us about the layer's density and composition.
- Creating a map: By studying the seismic waves and how they change as they travel through the Earth, we can create a map of the Earth's interior layers.
It's like using a superpowerful ultrasound to see inside the Earth and learn about its different layers. This helps us understand how the Earth was formed and how it works.