Transverse Waves
Disturbances that vibrate perpendicular to the direction of travel
List three or more waves.
Video Instruction
showmethephysics.com
Watch the Medium Move
Longitudinal or Transverse?
Watch the motion. Is this wave longitudinal or transverse?
Many Possible Planes
Unlike longitudinal waves, transverse waves can be oriented in many different planes.
Water waves, seismic waves, and electromagnetic waves such as light, microwaves, and radio waves
Check Your Understanding
Longitudinal or transverse?
Transverse: the vibration is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
a) Longitudinal or transverse?
b) Which two letters show one wavelength?
c) How does the medium move?
Answers: A and C; choice D.
Check Your Understanding
5 quick questions — pick an answer to see if you’re right.
1. In a transverse wave, the medium vibrates
2. Which of these is a transverse wave?
3. A wave travels east along a stretched rope while each piece of rope moves up and down. This wave is
4. Which statement about transverse waves is true but NOT true for longitudinal waves?
5. In a stadium wave, fans stand up and sit down as the wave moves around the stadium. What travels around the stadium?
The Stadium Wave
At a baseball game, fans create a “wave” that travels around the stadium. Each fan stands up and sits back down in place, while the wave moves horizontally around the stands.
Which type of wave is the stadium wave most like, and why?
▶ Want a challenge? Open 6 more Regents-style questions (harder · mixed formats)
Challenge score: 0 / 6
C1. A video shows the stadium wave travels 96 m around the stands in 8.0 s. Substitute numerical values into a mathematical representation that can be used to determine the speed of the stadium wave. Then calculate the speed.
C2. Polarizing filters let through only vibrations in one plane. Which type of wave can be polarized?
C3. A student makes the following claim.
Place a check mark in either the Support or Refute box. Justify your response.
C4. Place a check mark in three boxes to indicate the waves that are transverse, like the stadium wave.
C5. A transverse wave travels to the right along a string. A point on the string is at a crest. A moment later, where will that point be?
C6. The stadium wave is a model of a transverse wave. Describe how the motion of the fans represents a transverse wave, and identify one way the stadium wave is not a perfect model of a wave on a rope.