Physics > Motion of Waves > 2.0 Mechanical waves
Motion of Waves
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Mechanical waves
2.1 Transverse waves
2.2 Longitudinal waves
2.3 Differences between transverse and longitudinal waves
3.0 Properties of wave motion
3.1 General equation of wave motion
3.2 Wave function
3.3 Equation of a plane progressive harmonic wave
3.4 Important relations
4.0 Speed of a transverse wave on a string
5.0 Energy associated with a wave
6.0 Questions
2.3 Differences between transverse and longitudinal waves
2.2 Longitudinal waves
2.3 Differences between transverse and longitudinal waves
3.2 Wave function
3.3 Equation of a plane progressive harmonic wave
3.4 Important relations
| S. No. | Transverse waves | Longitudinal waves |
| 1. | In transverse waves, the particles of the medium oscillate in a direction perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. | In longitudinal waves, the particles of the medium oscillate along the direction of wave propagation. |
| 2. | Transverse wave travels through a medium in the form of crests and troughs | A longitudinal waves travels through a medium in the form of compressions and rarefractions. |
| 3. | Transverse waves can be polarised | Longitudinal waves cannot be polarised |
| 4. | Transverse waves can propagate only in medium with shear modulus of elasticity such as solids and strings but not in fluids (liquid and gases). | Longitudinal waves can propagate in medium with bulk modulus of elasticity and therefore possible in all media such as solid, liquid and gases. |
