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Chapter 8: Problem 32

Explain the difference between longitudinal waves and transverse waves.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Longitudinal waves have particle motion parallel to wave direction (e.g., sound waves), while transverse waves have perpendicular particle motion (e.g., light waves).

Step by step solution

01

- Define Longitudinal Waves

Longitudinal waves are types of waves where the particle displacement is parallel to the direction of wave propagation. This means that the particles of the medium move back and forth in the direction that the wave is traveling. Examples include sound waves and seismic P-waves.
02

- Define Transverse Waves

Transverse waves are types of waves where the particle displacement is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. This results in particles moving up and down as the wave moves horizontally. Examples include light waves, water waves, and seismic S-waves.
03

- Compare Particle Movement

In longitudinal waves, particles move parallel to the wave's direction, generating compressions and rarefactions. In transverse waves, particles move perpendicular to the wave's direction, creating crests and troughs.
04

- List Examples

Examples of longitudinal waves include sound waves and seismic P-waves. Examples of transverse waves include light waves, water waves, and seismic S-waves.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Longitudinal Waves
Longitudinal waves are a type of wave where the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of the wave's travel. Imagine standing in a line and pushing the person in front of you; each person moves forward and then returns to their original position. This back-and-forth motion illustrates how particles in a longitudinal wave behave. Common examples include sound waves and seismic P-waves. In these waves, areas of compression and rarefaction are formed as particles crowd together and then spread apart.
  • **Compressions**: Regions where particles are close together.
  • **Rarefactions**: Regions where particles are spread apart.
Longitudinal waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases, making them extremely versatile in how they propagate through different mediums.
Transverse Waves
Transverse waves are characterized by particle motion that is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Imagine shaking one end of a rope up and down; the wave travels horizontally, while the rope itself moves vertically. This up-and-down motion is typical of transverse waves. Examples include light waves, water waves, and seismic S-waves.
In transverse waves, the highest points are called **crests** and the lowest points are called **troughs**.
  • **Crests**: The highest points of the wave.
  • **Troughs**: The lowest points of the wave.
These waves can only travel through solids and certain conditions in liquids, but not through gases.
Wave Propagation
Wave propagation refers to the movement of waves through a medium. Different types of waves have different propagation characteristics. For longitudinal waves, the wave moves parallel to particle displacement. In contrast, for transverse waves, the wave moves perpendicular to particle displacement.
This concept is important because it helps to explain how and why waves travel differently in various mediums.
  • **Medium**: The substance through which the wave travels.
  • **Direction of Propagation**: The direction in which the wave energy travels.
  • **Speed of Propagation**: The speed at which a wave travels is influenced by the medium.
Understanding wave propagation is crucial for applications like sound engineering, earthquake analysis, and even medical imaging.
Particle Displacement
Particle displacement is the movement of particles in the medium as a wave passes through. This displacement varies depending on whether the wave is longitudinal or transverse.
In longitudinal waves, particles move back and forth in the same direction as the wave is moving, creating compressions and rarefactions.
In transverse waves, particles move up and down, perpendicular to the direction of wave travel, creating crests and troughs.
  • **Parallel Displacement**: Movement in the same direction as the wave (longitudinal).
  • **Perpendicular Displacement**: Movement at right angles to the wave direction (transverse).
Observing particle displacement helps us understand the energy and dynamics of different types of waves, crucial for fields like acoustics, optics, and seismology.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

T/F: Large worlds remain geologically active longer than small ones.

_______,_______, and _________, build up structures on the terrestrial planets, while _______ tears them down. a. impacts, erosion, volcanism; tectonism b. impacts, tectonism, volcanism; erosion c. tectonism, volcanism, erosion; impacts d. tectonism, impacts, erosion; volcanism

Comparative planetology is a particularly useful approach to a study of planets because a. physical explanations should apply to more than one object. b. very few data have been collected. c. all the planets are alike. d. we can't actually travel to other planets.

Earth's magnetic field cannot be due to permanent magnets, because a. the core is too hot. b. the field changes its strength. c. the field changes its orientation. d. all of the above

_______ waves are compressional, while _________ waves oscillate perpendicular to their line of travel. a. longitudinal; transverse b. transverse; longitudinal c. \(P\) waves; \(S\) waves d. S waves; P waves e. both a and c f. both b and d
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