How Do You Calculate The Velocity Of A P-Wave?
Primary wave, or P-wave, velocity measures how fast sound waves travel through the earth. A number of things affect P-wave velocity, including the density of material the waves travel through and the amount of fracturing in the material. Measuring P-wave velocity requires knowledge of the distance from the origination of the wave to where you take the measurement. Variations in the velocity of a P-wave can reveal information about the density of the material. Because of this, scientists often do P-wave calculations in carefully controlled circumstances, so they can calibrate their instruments to measure the densities of materials below the Earth’s surface. Fill a cylinder with a material, such as dirt or rock, that the P-wave will travel through. Attach two transducers on opposite sides of the cylinder—one to transmit a sound pulse and one to receive it. Calibrate the transducers to determine any delays that they may contribute to the measurement. Electronics often produce delays. Fo
