🌊 Wave Motion Explorer

Explore the differences between longitudinal and transverse waves

Transverse Wave

PERPENDICULAR MOTION
Displacement vs Position Graph

Key Features:

Particle Motion: Particles oscillate perpendicular (up and down) to the direction of wave propagation

Examples: Light waves, electromagnetic waves, water surface waves, waves on strings

Components: Crests (peaks), troughs (valleys), wavelength, amplitude

Longitudinal Wave

PARALLEL MOTION
Displacement vs Position Graph

Key Features:

Particle Motion: Particles oscillate parallel (back and forth) to the direction of wave propagation

Examples: Sound waves, seismic P-waves, compression waves in springs

Components: Compressions (high density regions), rarefactions (low density regions)

🔬 Wave Comparison

Transverse Waves

  • Perpendicular particle motion
  • Can be polarised
  • Cannot travel through fluids (except surface waves)
  • Have crests and troughs
  • Examples: light, radio waves

Longitudinal Waves

  • Parallel particle motion
  • Cannot be polarised
  • Can travel through all media
  • Have compressions and rarefactions
  • Examples: sound, ultrasound

Common Properties

  • Transfer energy without net particle displacement
  • Have wavelength, frequency, and amplitude
  • Follow v = fλ relationship
  • Can reflect, refract, and diffract
  • Exhibit interference patterns