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Difference between Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves is that the medium moves perpendicular to the direction of wave in transverse waves, while it moves in the same direction as the wave in case of longitudinal waves. Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves are the two types of Mechanical Waves. Waves are a type of disturbance that travels across a medium as a result of the repetitive and periodic motion of the medium's particles. Mechanical or elastic waves, electromagnetic waves, and matter waves are the three basic forms of waves.
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Key Terms: Waves, Transverse Waves, Full Wave Rectifier, Longitudinal Waves, Mechanical Waves, Periodic Motion
What are Waves?
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Waves are a type of disturbance that travels through a material medium due to the repetitive and periodic motion of the medium's particles about their mean positions with no actual movement of substance.
In simple words, a wave is a disturbance that propagates energy from one place to another without the actual movement of the matter. Mechanical or elastic waves, electromagnetic waves, and matter waves are the three basic forms of waves
Frequently Asked Questions about Transverse Waves and Longitudinal WavesQues. What are the two types of Mechanical Waves? (2 marks) Ans. Mechanical waves are of two types:
Ques. List some major characteristics of waves. (3 marks) Ans. Waves include the following characteristics:
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Read Also: Longitudinal Waves and Transverse Waves in Detail
What are Transverse waves?
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Transverse wave motion occurs when all points on a wave oscillate along pathways that are perpendicular to the wave’s direction. Transverse waves include water surface ripples, seismic S (secondary) waves, and electromagnetic (e.g., radio and light) waves.
- In transverse waves, the particles do not move with the wave; instead, as the wave passes by, they simply oscillate up and down at their equilibrium positions.
- Transverse waves are moving waves with oscillations that are perpendicular to the propagation path. The wave formed on the membrane of a drum is an example of such a wave. The waves propagate in directions that are parallel to the membrane's plane of propagation.
- In an earthquake, S waves (secondary waves) are examples of transverse waves. S waves travel at a slower rate than P waves and arrive several seconds later.
- Solids support transverse waves, often known as S-waves in seismology.
- In addition, there is a wave and velocity impedance for longitudinal sound waves in solids. Furthermore, the stiffness and density of the material influence the wave and velocity impedance.
| Solved Example Related to Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves Ques: A steel wire 80 cm long has a mess of 8 mg. If the wire is under the tension of 400 N, What is the speed of transverse Waves in the Wire? (2 Marks) Ans: Speed of the transverse wave in a stretched wire-
Where, T = Tension = 400 N
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What are Longitudinal waves?
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Particle displacement in a longitudinal wave is parallel to the wave propagation direction. The particles do not follow the wave when it moves down the tube; instead, they oscillate back and forth between their respective equilibrium locations.
- Longitudinal waves can be observed as P waves (Primary waves) in an earthquake. The P waves come first because they travel at the fastest speed.
- Mechanical longitudinal waves are also known as compressional or compression waves. They cause compression and rarefaction as they pass through a material, as well as pressure waves because they generate pressure changes.
- A common example of a longitudinal wave is a pressure wave in solids, liquids, or gases. Also, the material expands and contracts as a result of the oscillations of such a pressure wave.
Read Also:
| Important Concept Related Topics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Progressive Wave | Wavelength | Intensity Formula |
| Waves MCQ | Gravity Waves | Laplace Correction |
| Sound Waves | Unit of Vibration | Pulse Amplitude Modulation |
Difference between Transverse and Longitudinal Waves
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Difference between Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves is that the medium moves perpendicular to the direction of wave in a transverse wave, while in longitudinal waves, the medium moves in the same direction as the wave. Some other differences between Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves are:
| Transverse waves | Longitudinal waves |
|---|---|
| The medium is moving in the perpendicular direction of the wave's propagation. | The medium moves in the direction of the wave. |
| It has two dimensions of action. | It has one dimension of action. |
| The wave might be aligned or polarised. | It is impossible to polarise or align the wave. |
| This wave can be generated on the surface of a solid or a liquid. | This wave can occur in any media, including gas, liquid, and solid. |
| The S wave of an earthquake is an example of a transverse wave | The P wave of an earthquake is an example of a longitudinal wave. |
| It is made up of crests and troughs. | It is made up of rarefactions and compressions. |
Previous Year Questions
- Which of the following electromagnetic radiations have the longest wavelength … [NEET 1989]
- 4.0 g of a gas occupies 22.4 litres at NTP … [NEET 2015]
- A standing wave having 3 nodes and 2 antinodes … [NEET 1998]
- For a plane electromagnetic wave propagating in x-direction … [NEET 2021]
- The magnetic field in a travelling electromagnetic wave has a peak value … [VITEEE 2018]
- For sky wave propagation of 10 MHz signal … [JCECE 2007]
- A vehicle, with a horn of frequency n is moving with a velocity … [NEET 1998]
- With the propogation of a longitudinal wave through a material medium … [NEET 1992]
- The frequency of sinusoidal wave y … [NEET 1992]
- For production of beats the two sources must have … [NEET 1992]
- A siren emitting a sound of frequency 800 Hz … [NEET 2016]
- A tuning fork of frequency 512 Hz … [NEET 2010]
- A hollow cylinder with both sides open generates a frequency f in air … [WBJEE 2008]
- If the amplitude of sound is doubled and the frequency reduced to one fourth … [NEET 1989]
- A wave travelling along a string is described by the equation … [MHT CET 2008]
- In a hall, a person receives direct sound waves from a source … [BHU UET]
Things to Remember
- A transverse wave is one in which the medium's particles move in a direction that is perpendicular to the wave's movement.
- A longitudinal wave is one in which the medium particles move in a direction that is parallel to the wave's movement.
- Earthquakes or natural disasters can generate both transverse and longitudinal waves that propagate through the Earth.
- Seismologists discovered that only longitudinal waves could travel through the Earth's core. As a result, geologists assume that the earth's core is made up primarily of a liquid, most likely molten iron.
- When a stone strikes the water's surface, it causes ripples that flow in the shape of concentric circles is an example of a wave.
- Longitudinal Wave has one dimension of action.
- Transverse Wave has two dimensions of action.
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Sample Questions on Longitudinal and Transverse Waves
Ques: A transverse wave travels along the x-axis. The particles of the medium must move in which direction? (1 Mark)
Ans: The particles of the medium must move in the direction of the y-z plane or in the plane perpendicular to x-axis.
Ques: What is a transverse wave? (2 Marks)
Ans: A transverse wave is one in which the particle's displacement is parallel to the wave propagation direction. Furthermore, the transverse wave is defined by wave motion that is perpendicular to particle motion. Transverse waves require a very hard medium to transmit their energy.
Ques: What causes sound waves to be created? (1 Mark)
Ans: Particle velocity, particle movement, and pressure vibrations all contribute to the creation of sound waves.
Ques: Name three basic types of waves. (1 Mark)
Ans: Mechanical or elastic waves, electromagnetic waves, and matter waves are the three basic forms of waves.
Ques: If an explosion takes place at the bottom of a lake or sea, will the shock waves in water be longitudinal or transverse? (2 Marks)
Ans: If an explosion takes place at the bottom of lake or sea, it creates an enormous increase in the pressure of water. A Shock Wave is a longitudinal wave that will travel at a speed that is greater than that of an ordinary Wave.
Ques: Why can the transverse waves not be produced in the air? (2 Marks)
Ans: The modulus of rigidity is zero for the air or it also does not possess the property of possession. So, transverse waves cannot be produced in the air.
Ques: A string of mass 2.5 kg is under a tension of 200N. The length of the stretched string is 20m. If a transverse jerk is struck at one end of the string, how long does the disturbance take to reach the other end? (3 Marks)
The total mass of the string = 2.5 kg
∴ mass per unit length of the string
m = 2.5/20 = 0.125 kgm-1
Now,
Hence, the total time taken by the transverse wave to each other end
t = l/v = 20/40 = 0.5s
Ques: Explain why solids can support both longitudinal and transverse waves, but only longitudinal waves can propagate in gases. (3 Marks)
Ans: Solids have shear modulus due to this they can sustain shearing stress. Since fluids do not have any definite shape, so they produce shearing stress. The transverse waves propagate in such a way that it produces shearing stress in the medium. The propagation of the transverse waves is possible only in solids and not in gases.
Both solids and fluids have their respective bulk moduli. They can sustain compressive stress. Hence, longitudinal waves can propagate through solids and fluids.
Ques: A wire stretched between two rigid supports vibrates in its fundamental mode with a frequency of 45 Hz. The mass of the wire is 3.5 × 10-2 kg and its linear density is 4.0 × 10-2 kg m. What is (a) the speed of the transverse wave on the string and (b) the tension in the string? (3 Marks)
Mass of wire, M = 3.5 × 10-2 kg
Mass per unit length, m = 4.0 × 10-2kgm-1
∴ Length of wire ‘L’ = M/m = 3.5 x 10-2 / 4.0 x 10-2 = 0.875 m
(a) For fundamental mode ‘L’ = λ/2
λ = 2L = 0.875 x 2 = 1.75 m
∴ velocity v = vλ = 45 × 1.75 = 78.75 ms-1
(b) The velocity of transverse wave ‘v’ = Tm
T = v2m
=(78.75)2 × 4.0 × 10-2
= 248.6N
Ques: A steel wire has a length of 12.0 m and a mass of 2.10 kg. What should be the tension in the wire so that the speed of a transverse wave on the wire equals the speed of sound in dry air at 20 °C = 343 ms-1? (3 Marks)
Ans: Length of the steel wire, l = 12 m
Mass of the steel wire, m = 2.10 kg
Velocity of the transverse wave, v = 343 m/s
Mass per unit length,μ = m/l = 2.10/12 = 0.175 kgm-1
For tension T, velocity of the transverse wave can be obtained using the relation:
T = v2μ
∴T = (343)2 x 0.175 = 20588.575 ≈ 2.06 x 104 N
Ques: A wire stretched between two rigid supports vibrates in its fundamental mode with a frequency of 45 Hz. The mass of the wire is 3.5 x 10-2 kg and its linear mass density is 4.0 x 10-2 kg m-1. What is (a) the speed of a transverse wave on the string, and (b) the tension in the string? (5 Marks)
Ans: (a) Mass of the wire, m = 3.5 x 10-2 kg
Linear mass density, μ = m/l = 4.0 x 10-2 kgm-1
Frequency of vibration= 45 Hz
∴Length of the wire, l = m/μ = 3.5 x 10-2 / 4.0 x 10-2 = 0.875m
The wavelength of the stationary wave (λ) with respect to the length of the wire:
λ = 2l/n
Where,
n = Number of nodes in the wire
For fundamental node, n = 1:
λ= 2l
λ= 2 × 0.875 = 1.75 m
The speed of the transverse wave in the string is given as:
v = vλ = 45 x 1.75 = 78.75 m/s
(b) The tension produced in the string is given by the relation:
T = v2 μ
= (48.75)2 x 4.0x 10-2 = 248.06 N
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