Transverse wave

A transverse wave is a moving wave that is made up of oscillations happening perpendicular(90 degree) to the direction of energy transfer.

In a transverse wave, the medium(the material the wave moves through) moves up and down or side-to-side, while the wave itself moves forward.

Properties

• Crest: Highest point of a wave.
• Trough: Lowest point of a wave.
• Amplitude: Distance from the baseline(rest position) to crest or trough. Amplitude shows how much energy a wave carries.
• Wavelength: Wavelength(${\displaystyle \lambda }$), is the distance between two crests or two troughs that are next to each other.
• Frequency: Frequency(${\displaystyle f}$) is the number of waves that pass a point in one second. Frequency is measured in hertz(Hz).
• Speed: Speed(${\displaystyle v}$) of a wave measure how fast a wave is moving forward.

Formulae

The velocity of a transverse wave is calculated by the following formula:$${\displaystyle v=f\lambda }$$To find the wavelength or the frequency of a wavelength, change the formula algebraically.

Examples

Transverse wave can be found in multiple fields of studies and nature, which include such following:

• Electromagnetic wave: Light, Radio wave, Microwave, and X-ray are all forms of transverse waves. These wave forms can travel through vacuum.
• Water wave: Ripples on the surface of the water body, creating a circular transverse wave.
• Seismic wave: During an earthquake, "secondary" waves move through the Earth's crust, which causes a side-by-side or up-down motion.
• Instrument strings: When a guitar or piano string is plucked, it vibrates in a side-by-side or up-down motion, like transverse wave.

Transverse wave vs Longitudinal wave

The main difference between a transverse wave and longitudinal wave is their direction of movement:

• In a transverse wave, the medium moves perpendicular to the wave's direction.
• In a longitudinal wave, the medium moves parallel in the same direction as the wave.

Related pages

• Wave (physics)
• Longitudinal wave