Question

Identify the properties of transverse and longitudinal waves.

Amplitude:

Compression:

Frequency:

Period:

Wavelength:

Answer 1

Transverse and longitudinal waves are two fundamental types of mechanical waves, each with distinct properties:

### Transverse Waves
- **Amplitude**: The maximum displacement of a particle from its rest position. In a transverse wave, this is measured perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

- **Compression**: Transverse waves do not have compressions; instead, they have peaks (crests) and troughs.

- **Frequency**: The number of complete wave cycles that pass a given point per unit time, measured in hertz (Hz). It is the same for both transverse and longitudinal waves.

- **Period**: The time it takes for one complete wave cycle to pass a given point, which is the reciprocal of frequency (T = 1/f).

- **Wavelength**: The distance between two consecutive crests (or troughs) in a transverse wave.

### Longitudinal Waves
- **Amplitude**: The maximum displacement of a particle from its rest position, measured parallel to the direction of wave propagation.

- **Compression**: Longitudinal waves have regions of compression (where particles are closer together) and rarefaction (where particles are further apart).

- **Frequency**: The same as for transverse waves, it represents how many wave cycles pass a point in a given time.

- **Period**: Also the same as for transverse waves and is calculated in the same way (T = 1/f).

- **Wavelength**: The distance between two consecutive compressions (or rarefactions) in a longitudinal wave.

In conclusion, while both transverse and longitudinal waves share some properties (such as frequency and period), they differ significantly in their amplitude representation, structural characteristics (compression and rarefaction for longitudinal waves, crests and troughs for transverse waves), and the overall direction in which energy propagates relative to particle motion.