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One clear indication is that light can be polarized. By their nature, longitudinal waves can't be polarized.

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Q: How would you justify that light waves are transverse?
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What are 2 types of mechanical waves and how are they classified?

Mechanical waves are those which requires a material medium to traverse through. Where as electromagnetic waves can pass through both material as well as vacuum. Mechanical waves are of two category. One is longitudinal. Best example is Sound Waves. The particles of the medium through which sound traverses would vibrate parallel to the direction of propagation. The other one is transverse. In this the vibrations of the particle would be perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Example waves on the surface of water. Electromagnetic waves are always transverse in nature as electrical and magnetic vectors would be perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Bets example is visible light.


Waves in which the particles vibrate in an up-and down motion are called?

Those would be transverse waves!


What are types of transverse waves?

A transverse wave is a wave in which the direction of displacement is perpendicular to the direction of propagation, as a surface wave of water. Another name for this word is an electromagnetic wave.


What kind of waves does a light have?

The type of wave of a light wave is a transverse wave, like waves at the beach (surface waves). Transverse simply means that the motion of the wave is perpendicular to the direction of the wave. Simply put, if you're floating on the water, and a wave comes to you, the wave lifts you up, and then you drop back down as the wave passes. You are moving at a right angle to the direction that the wave is moving. This is why surfing is difficult, because you're trying to get it to push you, rather than simply lift you.Sound waves are longitudinal waves; they push particles in the same direction that they are moving in. Pressure waves from explosions are also longitudinal waves.


Why are electromagnetic waves sometimes called transverse waves?

Because the theory is that this is what the form is. If it were a longitudinal or compressional form (such as sound) it would need to travel through a medium of some sort to compress the particles of that medium. But electromagnetic radiation can travel even in a vacuum.

Related questions

What are Example of transverse waves?

Examples of transverse waves would be light waves, seismic waves or any other type of electromagnetic wave.


What is the different between transverse wave and longitudinal wave?

The vibration of the Longitudinal wave is parallel to the wave direction and the vibration is perpendicular to the direction in the transverse wave.


What are some example of transverse waves?

Examples of transverse waves include seismic S (secondary) waves, and the motion of the electric (E) and magnetic (M) fields in an electromagnetic plane wave, which both oscillate perpendicularly to each other as well as to the direction of energy transfer. Therefore an electromagnetic wave consists of two transverse waves, visible light being an example of an electromagnetic wave. See electromagnetic spectrum for information on different types of electromagnetic waves. An oscillating string is another example of a transverse wave; a more everyday example would be an audience wave. Some examples of transverse waves include Atomic, Chemical, Heat, Electrical, Light, and Mechanical energy.


What are 2 types of mechanical waves and how are they classified?

Mechanical waves are those which requires a material medium to traverse through. Where as electromagnetic waves can pass through both material as well as vacuum. Mechanical waves are of two category. One is longitudinal. Best example is Sound Waves. The particles of the medium through which sound traverses would vibrate parallel to the direction of propagation. The other one is transverse. In this the vibrations of the particle would be perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Example waves on the surface of water. Electromagnetic waves are always transverse in nature as electrical and magnetic vectors would be perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Bets example is visible light.


Waves in which the particles vibrate in an up-and down motion are called?

Those would be transverse waves!


Are electromagnetic waves longitudinal or transverse?

light waves or electromagnetic waves are transverse and sound waves are longitudinalElectromagnetic waves can be both transverse and longitudinal waves. Transverse waves are like ocean waves. They move the medium perpendicular to the medium which is the substance the wave is traveling on. Longitudinal waves are like a slinky. They compress and rarefact (The coils get close and move away). Longitudinal waves move the medium parallel to the energy.Electromagnetic waves don't need a medium to travel. They can travel on the medium but they don't need a medium to travel through.Mechanical waves need a medium to travel. They can't travel without one.That is why in starwars when the deathstar blows up and your whole room shakes when it does isn't possible because in space there isn't any air! Sound is a mechanical wave, since there isn't any medium there can't be any sound. If you yell in space nothing would happen because there isn't a medium for the sound waves to travel on. You can see light in space because light is an example of an electromagnetic wave which doesn't need a medium to travel.Cranberryhead. :)


What are types of transverse waves?

A transverse wave is a wave in which the direction of displacement is perpendicular to the direction of propagation, as a surface wave of water. Another name for this word is an electromagnetic wave.


What is the opposite of a longitudinal wave?

Longitudinal waves consist particles in a medium (ex of a medium= air) vibrate back and forth in a parallel direction to the direction of the wave is traveling. Example of a longitudinal wave are sound waves. Boom! Opposite of longitudinal waves would be a transverse wave where instead of particles moving in a parallel direction, transverse waves vibrate in a medium, side by side perpendicular to the direction the wave travels to. Example of a transverse wave is a light wave. Hope this helped =]


What kind of waves does a light have?

The type of wave of a light wave is a transverse wave, like waves at the beach (surface waves). Transverse simply means that the motion of the wave is perpendicular to the direction of the wave. Simply put, if you're floating on the water, and a wave comes to you, the wave lifts you up, and then you drop back down as the wave passes. You are moving at a right angle to the direction that the wave is moving. This is why surfing is difficult, because you're trying to get it to push you, rather than simply lift you.Sound waves are longitudinal waves; they push particles in the same direction that they are moving in. Pressure waves from explosions are also longitudinal waves.


What type of wave would a slinky represent?

A slinky can transfer both longitudinal and transverse waves.


Is it possible to a transverse waves to move in water?

Yes it is possible if the depth of the water level is gradually changing then transverse disturbance would push water aside. This is what happening at the shore.


Why are electromagnetic waves sometimes called transverse waves?

Because the theory is that this is what the form is. If it were a longitudinal or compressional form (such as sound) it would need to travel through a medium of some sort to compress the particles of that medium. But electromagnetic radiation can travel even in a vacuum.