Question

Give one example of a transverse wave and another of a longitudinal wave, being careful to note the relative directions of the disturbance and wave propagation in each.

Short answer

Wave on a guitar string is an example of transverse wave and sound produced by a guitar is an example of a longitudinal wave.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of transverse wave

Transverse waves are waves in which the medium oscillates at the right angle to the direction of propagation.The particles do not move with the wave, rather they move up and down about their equilibrium position.

Example of transverse wave

The wave produced by the strings of the guitar when plucked is an example of a transverse wave. It can be observed that the vibration in the strings takes place perpendicular to the string length.

Definition of longitudinal wave

Longitudinal waves are waves in which the displacement of particles is parallel to the direction of wave propagation. Here also the particles do not move with the wave but they oscillate back and forth about their equilibrium.

Example of longitudinal wave

The sound produced by the guitar will create a sound wave which is an example of a longitudinal wave.Sound waves in the air are composed of compression (high-pressure region) and rarefaction (low-pressure region) because of the movement of air molecules when a guitar string is vibrated.