How it works
This waves graphic organizer sets the two kinds of wave side by side, so one question sorts them: which way does the medium move as the wave passes? There is room to sketch each kind before writing.
Read the full guide
Sketch before you write
Draw the transverse wave as a curve and the longitudinal wave as a row of marks, bunched in some places and spread out in others. Add one arrow for the way the wave travels and a second for the way the medium moves.
Where water waves go
Water waves involve both motions, so they fit neither examples box cleanly. Leave them out, or let the class argue the case.
- Frequency is counted in hertz. One wave passing a point each second is 1 hertz.
Questions and answers
What are examples of transverse and longitudinal waves?
Light, a wave on a shaken string and seismic S waves are transverse: they oscillate at right angles to the way they travel. Sound in air, seismic P waves and a spring pushed along its length are longitudinal: they oscillate along it.
How are wavelength and frequency related?
For a wave moving at a fixed speed, a higher frequency means a shorter wavelength. The speed of the wave is its frequency multiplied by its wavelength, which is the rule on the wave speed sheet.
What is the difference between mechanical and electromagnetic waves?
Mechanical waves are vibrations in matter, so they need a medium to travel through. Water waves and sound are examples. Electromagnetic waves, such as light and radio waves, need no medium and can cross the vacuum of space.
Do waves carry matter from place to place?
As a rule, no. A wave carries energy, and the medium stays about where it was. Ripples on a pond pass through the water without carrying it along.