Transverse And Longitudinal Waves

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Sound propagating through the air inside a long tube compresses and rarefies the medium along the direction of travel, so which classification best fits such a wave?

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

The distinction between wave types in NCERT Class 11, Chapter 15 (Waves) rests on the direction of particle vibration relative to propagation. In a longitudinal wave the medium's particles oscillate back and forth parallel to the direction the wave travels, creating alternating compressions and rarefactions. Sound in air does exactly this, so it is a longitudinal mechanical wave requiring a material medium. The option of a transverse mechanical wave is wrong because transverse waves have particle motion perpendicular to travel, as on a stretched string, not the compressions seen in a gas. The option of a transverse electromagnetic wave is wrong because sound needs a medium and is not electromagnetic. The option of a stationary wave is wrong since the described wave clearly propagates along the tube rather than forming fixed nodes. A consistency check: gases cannot sustain shear, so they support only longitudinal (pressure) waves, which is precisely why sound in air must be longitudinal, matching the description of compressions and rarefactions.

Transverse And Longitudinal Waves

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