TRANSVERSE WAVE

A 'transverse wave' is a wave that causes vibration in the medium in a perpendicular direction to its own motion. For example: if a wave moves along the ''x''-axis, its disturbances are in the ''yz''-plane.
In other words, it causes medium disturbances across the two-dimensional plane that it is travelling in. Contrary to popular belief, transversal waves do not move up and down.

Contents

Properties

Examples

Mathematical description

See also

External links

Properties

The properties of transverse waves are exemplified by ripples in water, the vibrations of a stretched string or also in electromagnetic waves. In a transverse wave, the molecules of the medium oscillate perpendicular to the direction of propagation.
In seismology transverse waves are called secondary, or s waves because they arrive later than the primary, or p waves from an earthquake. The absence of transverse waves traveling through the earth’s core shows that it is liquid.

Examples

Light is composed of transverse waves. See electromagnetic spectrum for information on different types of electromagnetic waves.
Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves. A transverse wave could be represented by moving a slinky, spread across a table, to the left and right or up and down. The oscillating string is another example of a transverse wave.

Mathematical description

In mathematics, transverse waves are associated with the ''curl'' operator and are governed by a vector wave equation, in contrast to longitudinal waves, which are associated with the ''div'' operator and are governed by a scalar wave equation. A longitudinal wave exists as compressions moving through the plane in which it is travelling. Energy from this wave is transmitted as mechanical energy. An example would be a slinky which was pushed forward and backwards, compressing and extending it as the motion of the wave was transmitted. The speed of a transverse wave is determined by the equation "wave speed= frequency x wavelength"

See also

★ Longitudinal wave

★ Transverse mode

External links

★ Purdue's catalog of animated seismic waves

★ Interactive simulation of transverse wave

★ Wave types explained with high speed film and animations