ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

P-wave

A p-wave is a type of wave that travels through the earth after an earthquake. Just like we can shake a rope to make waves in it, earthquakes can shake the earth and send waves through it.

P-waves are special because they are the first waves to arrive after an earthquake happens. They are very fast and can move through solid things like the ground, as well as liquids like water and gases like air.

Think of it like throwing a ball at a wall. The ball hits the wall first and bounces back quickly, producing a sound. The sound you hear when the ball hits the wall is like the p-wave in an earthquake. They are the first to arrive and can move through lots of different materials.

Scientists use p-waves to help them study earthquakes and figure out where they happened and how big they were. But don't worry, even though p-waves are fast and powerful, they usually don't cause any harm to humans or animals.
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