Differences of Longitudinal Waves and Transverse Waves
Longitudinal waves are waves in which the displacement of the medium is in the same direction as, or the opposite direction to, the direction of propagation of the wave. ... Some transverse waves are mechanical, meaning that the wave needs an elastic medium to travel through.Longitudinal and transverse waves are mechanical waves, so both carry energy through particles of matter. Longitudinal waves transfer energy parallel to the direction of wave motion, and transverse waves transfer energy perpendicular to the direction of wave motion.Although both wave types are sinusoidal, transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of propagation, while longitudinal waves oscillate parallel to the direction of propagation. The most common transverse and longitudinal waves are light waves and sound waves, respectively.Sound is transmitted through gases, plasma, and liquids as longitudinal waves, also called compression waves. It requires a medium to propagate. Through solids, however, it can be transmitted as both longitudinal waves and transverse waves.