Question: In a region far from the epicenter of an earthquake, a seismic wave can be modeled as transporting energy in a single direction without absorption,

In a region far from the epicenter of an earthquake, a seismic wave can be modeled as transporting energy in a single direction without absorption, just as a string wave does. Suppose the seismic wave moves from granite into mudfill with similar density but with a much lower bulk modulus. Assume the speed of the wave gradually drops by a factor of 25.0, with negligible reflection of the wave. Will the amplitude of the ground shaking increase or decrease? By what factor? This phenomenon led to the collapse of part of the Nimitz Freeway in Oakland, California, during the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989.

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