There are 2 types of earthquakes waves and the difference lies in the way the seismic waves are transmitted. To understand this better, let us see what a seismic wave is.
These are waves of energy that travel through the earth's layers, and other elastic layers, often as a result of earthquakes. A wave, by general definition is the transfer of energy from one place to another without transferring solid, liquid or gas matter. Examples include light and sound waves.
During an earthquake, the waves released may be “P” or “S” waves depending on the speed and ways in which they travel.