======Slinky Seismic Waves======


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**Alternative titles:** Earthquake Waves with a Slinky
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  -Use one or two slinkies and refer to the links below for generating different seismic waves.  



====Links==== 
Seismic Slinky—An analogy for P & S waves - IRIS Earthquake Science: 
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P and S waves on a slinky - Cambridge Volcano Seismology: 
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📄 The slinky seismic waves demo - Earthquakelearningidea: [[https://www.earthlearningidea.com/PDF/304_Slinky_seismic_waves.pdf]]\\


====Variations====  
  *Add a storytelling element, such as the Japanese Namazu catfish myth, to make the demo more engaging.



====Safety Precautions====
  *Ensure students handle slinkies carefully to avoid tangling or snapping.  
  *Keep slinkies clear of faces to prevent accidental injury from sudden recoil.  
  *Supervise closely if using metal slinkies to avoid pinching fingers.




====Questions to Consider====
  *Why do P-waves travel faster than S-waves? (Because they rely on compression and rarefaction, while S-waves require rigidity for side-to-side motion.)  
  *Why can S-waves not travel through liquids? (Liquids have no rigidity, so they cannot support shear motion.)  
  *Why are surface waves the most destructive type of seismic wave? (They cause vertical and horizontal ground movement, damaging buildings and infrastructure.)