As a longitudinal wave travels through a medium, the particles of the medium move primarily in the same direction as the wave itself. In this type of wave, the movement of the particles occurs in compressions and rarefactions.
- Compressions are regions where the particles are close together, indicating a higher pressure in that area.
- Rarefactions are regions where the particles are spread farther apart, resulting in lower pressure.
Overall, the displacement of the particles is parallel to the direction of the wave propagation. This is in contrast to transverse waves, where particle movement is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. An example of a longitudinal wave is a sound wave traveling through air.
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