Which statement about transverse waves is true?

Which statement about transverse waves is true?

• A. The vibration is perpendicular to the travel direction
• B. The vibration is parallel to the travel direction
• C. They require a medium to travel
• D. They travel only in solids

Answer: (A)

Transverse waves are defined by particle motion that is perpendicular to the direction the wave travels. On a string, as the wave moves along horizontally, the string moves up and down, showing this right-angle relationship between the direction of travel and the vibration. That perpendicular vibration is the hallmark of transverse waves, and it’s what makes them different from longitudinal waves, where the vibrations are parallel to the travel direction (like sound in air). Some might think waves need a medium, but electromagnetic waves are also transverse and can travel through vacuum, so no medium is required. And transverse waves aren’t limited to solids—strings are one common example, surface waves on liquids exist, and light waves are transverse too.

Transverse waves are defined by particle motion that is perpendicular to the direction the wave travels. On a string, as the wave moves along horizontally, the string moves up and down, showing this right-angle relationship between the direction of travel and the vibration. That perpendicular vibration is the hallmark of transverse waves, and it’s what makes them different from longitudinal waves, where the vibrations are parallel to the travel direction (like sound in air).

Some might think waves need a medium, but electromagnetic waves are also transverse and can travel through vacuum, so no medium is required. And transverse waves aren’t limited to solids—strings are one common example, surface waves on liquids exist, and light waves are transverse too.