A wave is disturbance which propagates energy from one place to other without transport of matter.
A familiar example is the ripples formed on the surface of water when a stone is thrown on water in a pond. The ripple travels in concentric circles of ever increasing radius till they strike the boundary of the pond.
Types of waves:
Longitudinal wave: If the vibrations of the particles of the medium conveying a wave are to and fro and parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave, then the wave is called a longitudinal wave.
Transverse wave: If the vibrations of the particles of the medium conveying a wave are perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave, the wave is called a transverse wave.
A familiar example is the ripples formed on the surface of water when a stone is thrown on water in a pond. The ripple travels in concentric circles of ever increasing radius till they strike the boundary of the pond.
Types of waves:
Longitudinal wave: If the vibrations of the particles of the medium conveying a wave are to and fro and parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave, then the wave is called a longitudinal wave.
Transverse wave: If the vibrations of the particles of the medium conveying a wave are perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave, the wave is called a transverse wave.
Longitudinal wave vs Transverse wave
Transverse waves
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Particles in the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave.
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The particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction propagation of the wave.
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The wave travels in the form of condensations and rarefactions.
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The wave travels in the form of crests and troughs.
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One condensation and a rarefaction constitute one wave.
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One crest and one trough constitute one wave.
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This cannot be polarized.
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This wave can be polarized.
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