P waves are the fastest body waves and arrive before the S waves, or secondary waves. The P waves carry energy through the Earth as longitudinal waves, moving particles in the same line as the direction of the wave.
P waves can travel through all layers fo the Earth.
P waves are generally felt by humans as a bang or thump. In a slinky compressional waves are generated if one end of a stretched slinky is pushed quickly along the axis of the slinky.