Final answer:
A transverse wave has a disturbance moving perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel, with crests and troughs, while a longitudinal wave has compressions and rarefactions with disturbances moving parallel to wave direction. The amplitude and wavelength are key characteristics of both wave types.
Step-by-step explanation:
To understand the differences between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave, let's explore their characteristics and how they can be represented graphically.
A transverse wave is where the disturbance moves perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel. Examples of a transverse wave include electromagnetic waves, like light waves. The peaks of these waves are called crests, and the lowest points are called troughs. The amplitude is the distance from the rest position to a crest (or trough), and the wavelength is the distance between two consecutive crests (or troughs).
A longitudinal wave, sometimes referred to as a compression wave, is characterized by disturbances that move parallel to the direction of the wave. An example of a longitudinal wave is a sound wave. The parts where the wave is squeezed together are called compressions, and the parts where the wave is spread out are called rarefactions.
Let's represent these waves graphically:
Transverse Wave:
Amplitude: Height from rest to crest
Rest Position: The horizontal line in the middle of the wave
Wavelength: Distance from crest to crest
Crest: The highest point of the wave
Trough: The lowest point of the wave
Longitudinal Wave:
Compression: The parts where particles are close together
Rarefaction: The parts where particles are spread apart
The amplitude of a longitudinal wave can be seen as the maximum displacement of particles from their rest position, even though it's not visually as distinct as in transverse waves.