transversalvågen

A transversalvågen, or transverse wave, is a wave where the particles of the medium move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the wave's propagation. Imagine shaking a rope up and down. The wave travels horizontally along the rope, but the individual segments of the rope move vertically. This perpendicular motion is the defining characteristic of a transverse wave.

Examples of transverse waves include light waves, which are electromagnetic waves and do not require a medium to travel, and waves on a string or rope. The displacement of the medium from its equilibrium position can be described by its amplitude, which is the maximum displacement. The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs is known as the wavelength. The number of complete oscillations or cycles that pass a point per unit time is called the frequency, and the time taken for one complete oscillation is the period.

In a transverse wave, the crests are the highest points of the wave, and the troughs are the lowest points. The wave's energy is transferred through the medium by the oscillation of the particles. The speed of a transverse wave is determined by the properties of the medium, such as tension and mass per unit length in the case of a string.