Longitudinal Wave

A GIF Animation

A wave is a disturbance of a medium which transports energy through the medium without permanently transporting matter. In a wave, particles of the medium are temporily displaced and then return to their original position. There are a variety of ways to categorize waves. One way to categorize waves is to say that there are longitudinal and transverse waves. In a transverse wave, particles of the medium are displaced in a direction perpendicular to the direction of energy transport. In a longitudinal wave, particles of the medium are displaced in a direction parallel to energy transport. The animation below depicts a longitudinal pulse in a medium.

The above animation portrays a medium as a series of particles connected by springs. As one individual particle is disturbed, it transmits the disturbance to the next interconnected particle. This disturbance continues to be passed on to the next particle. The result is that energy is transported from one end of the medium to the other end of the medium without the actual tranport of matter. In this type of wave - a longitudinal wave - the particles of the medium move in the direction of energy transport.

This page was modified by J.T. Schemm of Newton North High School

Comments and suggestions can be sent by e-mail to J.T. Schemm

This page last updated on 6/8/98.

Comments and suggestions can be sent by e-mail to Tom Henderson.

This page last updated on 10/20/97.