Question

Explain how longitudenal waves move from one place to another . How these waves are different from transversal waves

Answer 1

Types of Waves

The scientific analysis of waves has been dated back to the seventeenth century, although the concept of waves was around for much longer. There are several types and sub-types of waves that one can study as we delve deeper into the topic of waves. One of the ways of studying waves is to determine the direction of the movement of particles in the medium. Categorising waves on this basis we get two kinds of waves, they are:

Transverse Waves Longitudinal Waves

Transverse Waves



This is a wave wherein the particles of the medium move in the direction that is perpendicular to that of the wave. For example consider this: when a rope is laid out horizontally in a room and a motion is introduced on the left end of the rope, then the energy that moves in the rope will move from left to right causing a simultaneous upward and downward movement in the rope. This type of wave created is a transverse wave. Characteristic of a transverse wave is that the motion of the particle is perpendicular to the motion of the wave.

Longitudinal Wave


As the name suggests, a longitudinal wave is the one that moves parallel to the direction of waves of particles in motion. That is a straight parallel line above the particle. For instance in the same rope kept horizontally, if one introduces a pulse on the left and the right end, the energy flows from both ends trapping the movements in a parallel motion. These are longitudinal waves.