Earthquakes and Seismology in Earth’s Interior

We just learned about all the layers of the Earth, but how did we accumulate this information? How do we know the composition of these layers and the depths at which they occur? The answer is seismology! Let's learn about the different kinds of seismic waves, their properties, and how geologists have used them to discern the composition of the Earth in astounding detail.
Script by Jared Matteucci and Bryne Hadnott
Watch the whole Geology playlist: bit.ly/ProfDaveGeo
Mathematics Tutorials: bit.ly/ProfDaveMath
Classical Physics Tutorials: bit.ly/ProfDavePhysics1
General Chemistry Tutorials: bit.ly/ProfDaveGenChem
Biology Tutorials: bit.ly/ProfDaveBio
Microbiology Tutorials: bit.ly/ProfDaveMicrobio
Botany Tutorials: bit.ly/ProfDaveBotany
Zoology Tutorials: bit.ly/ProfDaveZoo
EMAIL► [e-mail]
PATREON► / professordaveexplains
Check out "Is This Wi-Fi Organic?", my book on disarming pseudoscience!
Amazon: amzn.to/2HtNpVH
Bookshop: bit.ly/39cKADM
Barnes and Noble: bit.ly/3pUjmrn
Book Depository: bit.ly/3aOVDlT

[@apwi2884]

This man got millions of views on just 1 topic a couple years ago, yet is still continuing to make actual content unrelated to it just because he wants to have an educational channel. What a respectable man.

[@lance8859]

Both styles of his videos are important. Even if most people watching the popular ones already agree with the science.

[@suhinakhan7803]

Which one it is plz share the earlier one.

[@jquest99]

There's so much deep science and data that fit our model of the earth. If only people would either try to understand the science or admit that they don't understand it, without making up stuff to fill in the gaps.

[@jordonharris9098]

Well said

[@Ancipital_]

What is made up?

[@Solutionsarejustcompromises]

So much this, same for all other science fields as well unfortunaly...

[@jquest99]

@@Ancipital_For example: "I don't understand how gravity works, so things fall down because it is more dense. Also, I don't understand density."

[@robj4078]

@@Ancipital_ Listen to a flat earther for a couple of minutes. THAT made up stuff.

[@Jacob_graber]

Awesomely succinct video! I think the only detail missing is specifically noting that we know the core has liquid and not just some strange type of solid, because S-waves cannot travel in liquids due to their fundamental inability to support a shear stress.

[@TroyRubert]

Man I remember seeing an amazing animation showing many earthquakes going off in rapid secession and each wave helped show how it reflected around the core. It was super badass.

[@PremierCCGuyMMXVI]

Thanks for this professor, I learn a lot from these videos, science just fascinates me

[@ta0soft]

he knows alot about the science stuffs

[@randomgoat3886]

@@ta0soft professor dave explains

[@theobserver314]

@@randomgoat3886 *[Hmm sound effect]*

[@Madashell1200]

I wonder how flat earthers explain earthquakes? They probably think the burners that the "pizza" is sitting on are turned up too high.

[@ex-muslim--zakirnalayak4703]

😂😂😂

[@PlayNowWorkLater]

I’m going to have to watch this a few times. Wild are the incredible amounts of variables on this subject.

[@JormunB]

Geology really lends itself to the classic Prof Dave format! I let out a surprisingly bummed "aw" when the outro hit before we got plate tectonics. Something to look forward to I guess!

[@glennpearson9348]

Fantastic! Finally, I have a video I can link when the flerfs go on about "Kola Borehole ... blah, blah, blah, we've only drilled 8 miles deep, so how can we know...?" Great series, Professor Dave!

[@ronaldjohnsibayan7865]

You're a gem to science ♥️

[@AvidDogWalker]

A Geophysicist is more likely to study the topics explained in this video, geologists more study the actual rocks and how they are expressed at the surface and how they interact, however it is a good catch all term. This video is awfully informational anyways and is a great introduction to such an interesting field. Keep it up Dave 🙂

[@ChristopherCudworth]

I just found your channel and was thinking about this the other day. Fascinating.

[@quadrewplex6782]

I came here because I wanted to easily debunk the earth being 6000 years old. I was not expecting to be this captivated by learning all about a field of science I had previously been illiterate in.

[@Xenogears76]

Yeah and seismology blows flat earth out of the water too:)

[@quadrewplex6782]

@@Xenogears76 That does make me wanna see a flat earther try to explain earthquakes

[@Xenogears76]

@@quadrewplex6782 try the dutchsinse channel on KZbin. I think he's still on here. Kept claiming he was heavily censored, despite evidence to the contrary... he's heavily into right wing conspiracy theories lol. I don't think he's a flat earther, but so many on his live stream are. I used to go on the stream just to tick them off:)

[@BladeValant546]

Epic! I loving these, you communicate it very well. I would love to see a crash course on meteorology for folks. You can explain it way better than me and I think people be largely surprised how many different schools of science are used in forecasting and meteorology in general.

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

Meteorology and ecology are coming soon!

[@ta0soft]

@@ProfessorDaveExplains I'd love to see more cosmology I know it's not your favorite topic lol

[@ta0soft]

we just need more fact-based information out there, the internet is so full of BS these days...

[@ta0soft]

seriously though keep it up, your work is appreciated I wish there were more youtubers like you

[@BladeValant546]

@@ProfessorDaveExplains epic! I've been teaching folks here how to interpret radar and how to deal with the heat waves. Been nice.

[@WriterNZane]

My physical science teacher has not done a good job explaining this, and seeing someone explain it in such a clear way makes me a bit more confident going into finals

[@concernednewfie]

Got to be one of the best videos on this subject I have seen, without fluff like humans chatting. Very good.

[@crex8751]

You keep forgetting the most dense layer... the flat earthers.

[@23audience]

I think that is funny as all f*ck.

[@NipaChakroborty]

Such a nice educational one! Thank you!

[@iggi3985]

This was great! Like a refresher class

[@music101.]

I love these types of videos , this is a very interesting subject

[@sciencenerd7639]

this is great, thanks so much

[@cuzned1375]

* sees new Prof Dave video notification * Me: I’m not gonna understand this at all. * has already hit play *

[@parintelebaiazid80]

This video: Exists (thanks to Professor Dave and thousands of scientists and millions of hours spent in research) Some flat-earther: BULLSHIT * we are living in a much too permissive and forgiveful society

[@dr.laxmishankerkushwaha6237]

Excellent presentation on topic.

[@user-bg9hk3du8z]

Great content! 3rd year geography & environmental studies student 🌍

[@user-lv3ii5df9n]

Thankyou for making this video I am a student from korea and the detailed explaination of different layers in the earth helped me clear some confusion

[@janellehoney-badger6525]

Thank you, this was the best explanation on the science of earthquakes. This subject has always fascinated me due to the immense forces involved & constantly building up. It’s really mind blowing to think about it.

[@Ferdaws16]

Thank youuuuu

[@jonathon5075]

It's pretty remarkable that p-waves can go theough the ENTIRE PLANET and then measurements are used to infer info about the interior

[@jimspace3000]

Doubles as a destruction of flat earth.

[@Sean-ff9ic]

Dave, I'm really glad you decided to cover this topic! Seismology is one of my favorite Earth sciences, and I've heard some strange theories (hypotheses) recently. I recommend checking out a guy on YT called dutchsinse; he could use a good debunking.

[@Soken50]

I've been recommending Dutchsince to a lot of debunkers because he's been getting a decent following, is pretty good at staying off the radar and seeming rational when talking about actual earthquakes but then you go to his livestreams and you hear him talk about his predictions and how the USGS is harassing him and you quickly realise the guy is completely loopy and his following almost sectarian in how it's moderated. No one has bothered to take him on to date

[@Sean-ff9ic]

@@Soken50 Dutch is pretty popular in my dad's qanon group; along with the Discovery Institute and their electric universe hypothesis.

[@Soken50]

@@Sean-ff9ic I wish you the best of luck and patience with your dad :)

[@TheDiasporaMedia]

Another one drops from the man Professor Dave ❤️

[@Recklesswisdom]

Good video

[@WanderTheNomad]

Man, I'm kinda sad that Dave is more known for the debunking of various conspiracy theories rather than for educating people with free courses on various subjects.

[@RSProduxx]

that shows where public interest really lies

[@dirtyshinobii]

Well, him debunking that stuff is really entertaining and the majority of people want entertainment rather then a science lesson

[@theheadpriest]

True, I actually discovered Dave when I was struggling with my Chemistry class, his videos made it much easier to understand and actually boosted me up remarkably. He is great.

[@nektu5435]

Do earthquakes ever happen at the poles? I have an earthquake notification app on my iPhone that I frequently like to check and in the entire time I've been using this app (approx 2 years) I've never seen an earthquake detected at either pole. Is there any particular reason for this? Is it simply just a lack of fault lines in those regions? I've seen some inside the Arctic circle in Alaska but what I'm wondering about is closer to the poles. I don't think I've seen one anywhere in Antarctica. Just curious. Thanks!

[@chrissierra-5633]

When i was small i was scared of volcanoes and lava But now i want to get close to one

[@Izzy-qf1do]

This seemed much more confusing back in school days for some reason.

[@namanraj3645]

Sir pls teach us full physical geography

[@elscorchoTX]

champion of science!

[@WanderTheNomad]

I'm guessing that ULVZ hypothesis about convection and plunes was made partially to explain the hot spot underneath Hawaii?

[@igoromelchenko3482]

Solid science

[@tammyroyce8013]

What does mean 0.7 0.8 0.9 mean ? Like in a 2.5 which happened here in Little Rock Arkansas around Rodney Parham area

[@asokan61]

P wave = Pressure wave, S wave = Shearing wave

[@Robisquick]

This is still my favorite slam dunk on the flat Earth… the fact that virtually no other shape can these waves propagate through that would be detected on thousands of seismometers around the globe in such a distinct and calculable pattern

[@philgrasmeder1172]

This video helped me take a nap. At around 3 to 4 minute mark I was out cold & woke back up just as my head was about to hit the keyboard LoL JUST KIDDING, I enjoy your videos, but they could use a little humor. What I really miss is watching you destroy flat earthers, but What I would love to see more of is anything to do with space, NASA & their future missions to colonize mars & put a base on the moon. I'm sure you can work alot more humor into your videos just by saying, " flat earthers believe it's all fake, but here's the proof " Thanks for reading Professor

[@Recklesswisdom]

I feel like you’re talking to hallow earth community… 😂

[@namanraj3645]

0:42 0:45 0:46 0:47 0:48 0:48

[@lucasrandel8589]

hmmm delicious knowledge

[@blankname1624]

nice

[@unnamedauthor]

THANK YOU BECAUSE I JUST GOT ASTUPID ASSIGNMENT AND I BELIEVE THE TEACHERS HESELF DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THE ANSWER DUE TO HOW STUPID AND UNRELATTED TO THE LESSON THIS ACTIVITY IS IUGFJHFVG KWUHN3GMUMJ RDL BUT THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU JUST GAVE ME AN ANSWER 😭😭😭

[@dcfromthev]

What up Dave

[@thedragonslayer8132]

Waiting patiently for Flat Earthers to show up..

[@tammyroyce8013]

Which cause the fault lines to act up and affect the volcanic core is it not fact that the core of earth which is the solar sun the largest volcano in the world

[@-JA-]

❤️🙏

[@tammyroyce8013]

2.5 mean 0.9

[@wency7189]

Where are the other videos? the continuation of the Geology topic.

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

They are released one per week.

[@wency7189]

@@ProfessorDaveExplains Thank you for your informative and creative videos. Oh, I see. Sorry, Board exam is near and I am looking for lectures about Geology, Mineralogy and Petrology. 😅

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Amazing how our planet is equal to the mass of the entire inner solar system and asteroids belt.

[@tornadomash00]

regarding the D" layer and the idea of sunken slabs, wasn't there a discovery under the mount paektu/changbai volcano between china and north korea where the pacific plate remained stagnant under the continental plate, but part of the plate in the south did sink down? there's a video about the volcano that goes into detail about this, i was wondering if this was perhaps new information or something considering you don't mention it in this video link to the aforementioned video about the volcano: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXSVeYmFd5Kaa9Usi=CmgTyMf3xKTRR1fS

[@frozenhouse5362]

I believe we do know that fundamentally the wave-particle duality is not binary, as an exciton can be 'bound' to a photon, and based on how this is done you can tune the resultant quasi-particle to act in a way that is partially wave-like and partially particle-like in different ratios. This has been used to test the properties of different 2D materials especially ones with properties similar to topological insulators.

[@tammyroyce8013]

Doesn't asteroid and meteor's and comets and solar eruption cause most of the earthquakes?

[@Kiwigeo8339]

No...movement of tectonic plates causes a majority of earthquakes

[@N0RZC]

its difficult being sane these days.... especially when those who arent claim they are compared to you. (talking about people like those youve discussed with)

[@JustTheFacts2]

Just curious, but how do we know those waves speed up or slow down in the various layers? As far as I can tell, we can only know the distance and total time. Was it various forms of radar reflections? You know flerfs are going to bring up the "We've only drilled down 8 miles so how do we know?" line.

[@ArveEriksson]

3500 m/s passes for slow, now...? Well, G-D!

[@user-ux6uq3jt3g]

cool beans cool dave

[@donsheffler]

But, but, but, we’ve only dug down eight miles! /s

[@peppapig8162]

thank u science jesus

[@rubylikessonic2]

Aka penguinz0 science edition

[@ThundySkye]

Aaaah so thats where "series S" comes from ✌️🤣

[@pavithrap906]

🤩😌

[@TheDiasporaMedia]

27th ☝🏾

[@ohitsbaby]

Dave, do you think research into geology is still valuable? I'm doing an integrated masters in chemistry and was thinking about earth sciences but couldn't help think research in other fields would be preferred by the scientific community. Do you have an opinion on this?

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

I mean I'm not a geologist, but I'm pretty sure there is still plenty of valuable work to be done in the field. In the end you should pick what fascinates you most and where you are invigorated every day in the lab/field. That's the most important thing.

[@ohitsbaby]

@@ProfessorDaveExplains Thanks for the reply and advice Dave, and what a wonderful surprise to open youtube too. I shall follow your advice for sure.

[@MrQuaiven]

I'm just here for the inevitable flerfer comments.

[@JoeFromDetroit]

I'll pop some popcorn 🍿!!!!

[@rickkwitkoski1976]

Good vid. Thank you. But it is never going to get the views, likes and comments of your "10 things all FErs say". Keep these coming though.

[@theinsanity3445]

THE EARTH IS NOT ROUND!!!! It's got sweet, sweet, beautiful curves.

[@bobbycruz9290]

Here are your 5 likes: 👍👍👍👍

[@lundgrenbronzestudios]

So you are saying seismic waves prove the earth is not flat.

[@karhukivi]

Yes he is!

[@40g33k]

I nearly though it said "Scientology". *phew*

[@qq587]

would you have a discussion with a theist about the big bang? your videos are very good, it's a shame that you have so few views per video.

[@scott_meyer]

Depends on their interpretation. The Big Bang actually fits in with God creating the Universe from nothing.

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

I mean I just published this one three hours ago! It'll get there. My astronomy videos have decent view counts.

[@qq587]

@@scott_meyer they say that the universe was created in 6 days

[@qq587]

@@ProfessorDaveExplains do you create these videos on your own or do you have a team?

[@ProfessorDaveExplains]

@@qq587 by myself for the most part. For some topics the scripts are written by others, such as with this geology series. I am producing the videos.

[@leobriccocola8141]

Wonder if a flat earther will show up here?

[@books2118]

But how can any of this be true if the earth is flat This is a JOKE

[@David_Rg]

terraplanists be like 🧠❌: nuuu, this not true bc earth is flat, its in the bible mimimimimi 🙈🙉🙊 i don lik reality and empirical evidence so i make my own

[@xtra_1807]

God I keep forgetting this guy isnt Moistcritical

[@LukeyBoy82]

So Dave does this mean you could teach me how to make methamphetamine?

[@TYD20]

God shakes the flat earth and it causes an earthquake

[@mr.one-up2924]

Ya........ on round earth not flat unless your joking then thats funny to laugh

[@MillerAndrew-wt5jy]

Amen brother

[@hawkfeatheraviation3465]

Moronic non-thinking

[@LPG9915]

thanks for the explanation jesus

[@vivekbarnvasynanndi3439]

flat

[@entangledmindcells9359]

Lol..

[@Luxcium]

He is paid for doing those videos just so we can not learn the truth about the flat earth… but obviously 🙄 if they are spending so much money to promote something like that it means something… 😏😏😏 I am not trolling I am just using Irony haha 😂

[@RunAround7510]

earthquakes can't happen on a ball though... #ITSFLAT. HEHE

[@dogwalker666]

Err you have that completely backwards, Its the flying monkey space pizza world that doesn't have Earth Quakes.

[@RunAround7510]

@@dogwalker666 damn..... im getting old. thanx for the correction