Seismic Waves and the Slinky

This teaching guide is designed to introduce the concepts of seismic waves that propagate within the Earth, and to provide ideas and suggestions for how to teach about seismic waves. The guide provides information on the types and properties of seismic waves and instructions for using the slinky to effectively demonstrate seismic wave characteristics and wave propagation. Most of the activities described in the guide are useful both as demonstrations for the teacher and as exploratory activities for students. A slinky is used to demonstrate P and S waves, Love wave on floor or tabletop, and Rayleigh waves by using three people and a long slinky. Five slinkys attached to wood block show that waves propagate in all directions from the source and that wave vibration for P and S sources will be different in different directions from the source. Educational levels: High school, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, Undergraduate lower division