Question

What is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves? easy

Answer 1

Longitudinal and transverse waves are two types of mechanical waves, and they differ in how the particles of the medium move relative to the direction of the wave.

1. **Longitudinal Waves**:
- In longitudinal waves, the particles of the medium move **back and forth** in the same direction as the wave travels.
- This means that the wave compresses and stretches the medium.
- An example of a longitudinal wave is a sound wave. When sound travels through air, the air molecules vibrate back and forth along the direction of the sound wave.

2. **Transverse Waves**:
- In transverse waves, the particles of the medium move **up and down** or **side to side** perpendicular to the direction of the wave travel.
- This means the wave creates crests and troughs as it moves.
- An example of a transverse wave is a wave on a string or electromagnetic waves like light (though light doesn't need a medium to travel).

In summary, the key difference is the direction of particle movement relative to wave direction: longitudinal waves move parallel and transverse waves move perpendicular.