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Transverse vs Longitudinal

This interactive simulator explores Transverse vs Longitudinal in Waves & Sound. Side-by-side comparison of wave types with particle motion. Use the controls to change the scenario; watch the visualization and any graphs or readouts to connect the model with lectures, labs, and homework.

Who it's for: Suited to beginners and first exposure to the topic. Typical context: Waves & Sound.

Key terms

  • transverse
  • longitudinal
  • transverse longitudinal
  • waves
  • sound

How it works

Side-by-side visualization of the same sinusoidal traveling wave: transverse motion keeps particles near fixed x while they oscillate up and down; longitudinal motion slides particles along the propagation direction, stretching and squeezing the spacing (spring segments).

Key equations

Transverse: y(x,t) = A sin(kx − ωt),   k = 2π/λ
Longitudinal: u(x,t) = A sin(kx − ωt),   x′ = x + u

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