Jump to main content

A Ground-Breaking Revelation: Testing Longitudinal Waves in Different Soil Types

1
2
3
4
5
116 reviews

Summary

Areas of Science
Difficulty
 
Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Prerequisites
Familiarity with software and instruments used to collect and analyze data from sound waves is helpful.
Material Availability
A sound generator and amplifier that can connect to a loudspeaker are required. An accelerometer is also needed that can interface with computer software to measure the amplitude of sound waves.
Cost
High ($100 - $150)
Safety
No issues
Credits
Alexander Pherson; Sophie Scheidlinger
Teisha Rowland, Ph.D., Science Buddies
*Note: For this science project you will need to develop your own experimental procedure. Use the information in the summary tab as a starting place. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions.

If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk (*) at the end of the title.

Abstract

Did you know that waves travel through the Earth's crust all the time? One major source of these waves is earthquakes, although ground motion can also be caused by something man-made, such as a mine blast or nuclear explosion, or other natural events, such as landslides or volcanic activity.

How does an earthquake cause these waves? The entire outer shell of the Earth, known as the lithosphere, is made up of tectonic plates that are constantly moving. There are seven or eight large tectonic plates and many more minor ones. Where the tectonic plates meet and bump together, it is common to find mountains, volcanic activity, mid-ocean ridges, and earthquakes. (What forms depends on how exactly the tectonic plates are moving against each other at the plate boundary.) The movement of the tectonic plates also causes faults to form, which are cracks in the Earth's surface where a plate, or parts of a plate, moves in different directions. Faults are usually near the edge of a plate. When two tectonic plates (or parts of the same plate) bump or catch as they slide past each other at the fault, earthquakes usually occur. Specifically, as the plates rub together, when they catch and get stuck it results in a build up of pressure because the rocks want to move but cannot. Eventually, some rocks break and the pressure is released as the plates suddenly move. This causes waves of energy, known as seismic waves, to travel through the Earth, making the ground shake. Where the rocks broke is known as the earthquake's focus, and right above this point, up on the ground, is called the earthquake's epicenter.

There are two main types of seismic waves: body waves, which can travel through the inner layers of the Earth, and surface waves, which can only travel on the surface. Body waves are the fastest and have the highest frequency. One type of body wave is called the primary or P-wave. (It is called "primary" because it is the first one you feel in an earthquake.) It pushes and pulls the solid rock or liquid matter that it is moving through, and people feel it as a back-and-forth or side-to-side motion. The P-wave is also what is known as a longitudinal wave, or compression wave. A longitudinal wave is a wave that travels in the same direction as the direction of vibration. Longitudinal waves are around us all the time; other examples of longitudinal waves include an oscillation in a spring, a tsunami wave, and a sound wave.

How well do longitudinal waves, such as from an earthquake, travel in different soil types? In this geology science project, you will answer this by investigating how different types of soil change the amplitude of compression waves. To do this, you will construct a solids wave tank and fill it, one at a time, with different types of soils, such as sandy, clay, or silty soil. For the longitudinal wave source, mount a loudspeaker to the base of the solids wave tank and connect a sound generator and amplifier to the loudspeaker to create vibrations similar to that of an earthquake. (There are softwares available that could be used to initiate the waves and control the amplitude of the loudspeaker, such as FreqGenie.) Measure the amplitude of the waves using an accelerometer connected to computer software that can measure this, such as LoggerPro. You may want to try placing the accelerometer in different positions to ensure that your conclusions are accurate. Which type of soil leads to the smallest amplitudes? Which type leads to the largest amplitudes? How do you think this correlates to how well P-waves from an earthquake travel through different parts of the Earth?

Bibliography

Here are a few websites that will help you start gathering information about seismic waves, seismology, and different types of soil:

  • Nave, C. R. (n.d.). Seismic Waves. HyperPhysics. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  • The Seed Site. (n.d.). Soil. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
icon scientific method

Ask an Expert

Do you have specific questions about your science project? Our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.

Global Connections

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

This project explores topics key to Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Variations

Careers

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:

Career Profile
Not all dirt is created equal. In fact, different types of soil can make a big difference in some very important areas of our society. A building constructed on sandy soil might collapse during an earthquake, and crops planted in soil that doesn't drain properly might become waterlogged and rot after a rainstorm. It is the job of a soil scientist to evaluate soil conditions and help farmers, builders, and environmentalists decide how best to take advantage of local soils. Read more
Career Profile
Just as a doctor uses tools and techniques, like X-rays and stethoscopes, to look inside the human body, geoscientists explore deep inside a much bigger patient—planet Earth. Geoscientists seek to better understand our planet, and to discover natural resources, like water, minerals, and petroleum oil, which are used in everything from shoes, fabrics, roads, roofs, and lotions to fertilizers, food packaging, ink, and CD's. The work of geoscientists affects everyone and everything. Read more
Career Profile
Any time you hear music at a concert, a live speech, the police sirens in a TV show, or the six o'clock news you're hearing the work of a sound engineering technician. Sound engineering technicians operate machines and equipment to record, synchronize, mix, or reproduce music, voices, or sound effects in recording studios, sporting arenas, theater productions, or movie and video productions. Read more

News Feed on This Topic

 
, ,

Cite This Page

General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.

MLA Style

Science Buddies Staff. "A Ground-Breaking Revelation: Testing Longitudinal Waves in Different Soil Types." Science Buddies, 20 Nov. 2020, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Geo_p007/geology/longitudinal-waves-in-different-soil-types. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

APA Style

Science Buddies Staff. (2020, November 20). A Ground-Breaking Revelation: Testing Longitudinal Waves in Different Soil Types. Retrieved from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Geo_p007/geology/longitudinal-waves-in-different-soil-types


Last edit date: 2020-11-20
Top
We use cookies and those of third party providers to deliver the best possible web experience and to compile statistics.
By continuing and using the site, including the landing page, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
OK, got it
Free science fair projects.