Probing planet Earth
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe S waves and P waves produced by earthquakes and how they move through different parts of the Earth.
Key learning 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
- 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
Keywords
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 misconception
Many students think the mantle is liquid or semi-liquid. Some think it contains soil or water.
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.
Teacher tip
Use a role play with students standing shoulder to shoulder to show the way S and P waves move to explain that a solid (with students stuck together) transmits both but a liquid (where they can slide past each other) only transmits P waves.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What do waves transfer?
Q2.Fill in the gap: Water waves are an example of waves.
Q3.What's the missing word? Sound waves and ultrasound are examples of waves.
Q4.Match the waves to their descriptions
A wave that has too high a frequency to hear.
A wave used in mobile phone communications.
A wave that we detect with our eyes.
Q5.What happens when a wave is refracted?
Q6.What type of waves cannot travel through liquids?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Where are tectonic plates found?
Q2.Which statement best describes where earthquakes occur?
Q3.Which of the statements about S waves are correct?
Q4.Fill in the gap: P waves are seismic waves that travel at different speeds through solids and liquids.
Q5.Starting with the outermost layer, sort the different layers of the Earth into the correct order.
Q6.What causes S waves and P waves to curve as they travel through the Earth?
To help you plan your 10 combined science lesson on: Probing planet Earth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 combined science lesson on: Probing planet Earth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 combined science lessons from the Measuring waves unit, dive into the full secondary combined science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.