http://www.ck12.org Chapter 5. Energy
To see a transverse wave in slow motion, go to this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g49mahYeNgc.
MEDIA
Click image to the left for use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/5034FIGURE 5.45
Q:When a guitar string is plucked, in what direction does the wave travel? In what directions does the string vibrate?
A:The wave travels down the string to the end. The string vibrates up and down at right angles to the direction of
the wave.
Crests and Troughs
A transverse wave is characterized by the high and low points reached by particles of the medium as the wave passes
through. The high points are called crests, and the low points are called troughs. You can see both in theFigure
below.
S Waves
Transverse waves called S waves occur during earthquakes. The disturbance that causes an earthquake sends
transverse waves through underground rocks in all directions away from the disturbance. S waves may travel for
hundreds of miles. An S wave is modeled in theFigure5.47.
Summary
- A transverse wave is a wave in which particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction that the
wave travels. - The high points of a transverse wave are called crests, and the low points are called troughs.
- S waves are transverse waves that travel through underground rocks during earthquakes.
Vocabulary
- transverse wave: Wave in which particles of the medium vibrate at right angles to the direction that the wave
travels.