The Difference Between Transverse and Longitudinal Waves

Transverse waves move particles perpendicular to the direction of travel, like water waves.
Longitudinal waves move particles parallel to the direction of travel, like sound waves.
Crests and troughs appear in transverse waves but not in longitudinal ones.
Longitudinal waves have compressions (high pressure) and rarefactions (low pressure).
Light waves are transverse, while most sound waves are longitudinal.
Both types transfer energy, not matter, through a medium.
Transverse waves can travel along strings, surfaces, or as electromagnetic radiation.
Longitudinal waves usually need a medium like air, water, or solids.
Earthquakes generate both: P-waves (longitudinal) and S-waves (transverse).
Together, they show the two main ways motion and energy ripple through the world.