Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 10 Science Guides

Year 10 - Science

Probing planet Earth

Measuring waves

Unit Summary

This unit covers wave motion, including amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and velocity. It explains transverse and longitudinal waves, reflection, and absorption. The focus is on measuring wave speed, and sound interactions, applying formulas, and conducting accurate experiments.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe S waves and P waves produced by earthquakes and how they move through different parts of the Earth.

Key Notes

  • Earthquakes usually occur near to the edges of tectonic plates
  • P waves and S waves are produced deep underground where tectonic plates slip and cause vibrations in rock
  • P waves are longitudinal waves and travel through liquid
  • S waves are transverse waves and cannot travel through liquid layers inside Earth
  • P waves and S waves provide evidence for the internal structure of Earth

Vocabulary To Learn

  • earthquake: An earthquake is caused by the sudden sliding movement of tectonic plates against each other.
  • S wave: S waves are transverse seismic waves that travel through solids but not liquids.
  • P wave: P waves are longitudinal seismic waves that travel at different speeds through solids and liquids.
  • transverse: A transverse wave is where the wave oscillates perpendicular to the direction of travel.
  • longitudinal: A longitudinal wave is where the wave oscillates along the direction of travel with areas of compression and rarefaction.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Many students think the mantle is liquid or semi-liquid. Some think it contains soil or water.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.

Earthquakes usually occur near to the edges of tectonic plates. P waves and S waves are produced deep underground where tectonic plates slip and cause vibrations in rock.

2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'earthquake'

An earthquake is caused by the sudden sliding movement of tectonic plates against each other. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.

3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.

Mistake: Many students think the mantle is liquid or semi-liquid. Some think it contains soil or water. Correction: The mantle is almost all solid rock. Less than 1% of it is liquid e.g. at spreading plate boundaries, subduction zones and hot-spots.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 10 Science guide library.