Reading Article: Understanding Waves

Transverse waves move perpendicular to the wave energy direction, while longitudinal waves move parallel.

Transverse waves move parallel to the wave energy direction, while longitudinal waves move perpendicular.

Transverse waves require a medium, while longitudinal waves do not.

Transverse waves are sound waves, while longitudinal waves are water waves.

Water waves

Sound waves

Slinky waves

Air vibrations

Crest

Trough

Compression

Rarefaction

Rarefaction

Compression

Trough

Crest

Space is a vacuum and lacks a medium for sound waves to travel.

Space has too much air pressure for sound waves to travel.

Sound waves require gravity to travel, which is absent in space.

Sound waves are blocked by electromagnetic waves in space.

The maximum distance particles move from their resting position.

The number of waves passing a point in a given time.

The speed at which a wave travels.

The direction of wave movement.

They produce a higher pitch.

They produce a louder sound.

They travel faster.

They create larger compressions.

Medium

Energy

Amplitude

Frequency

The distance from one crest to the next.

The distance from one compression to the next.

The distance from one rarefaction to the next.

The distance from one amplitude to the next.

Alternating compressions and rarefactions in the sound wave.

The amplitude of the sound wave.

The frequency of the sound wave.

The wavelength of the sound wave.