Which type of wave is a sound wave traveling through air?
ATransverse
BLongitudinal
CBoth
DNeither
Sound waves in air are longitudinal — air molecules vibrate back and forth parallel to the direction the sound travels, creating compressions and rarefactions.
Question 2 True / False
In a transverse wave, the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction the wave travels.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: True
This is the defining characteristic of a transverse wave — the medium's displacement is at right angles to the wave's propagation direction.
Question 3 Short Answer
What are the regions of high and low density in a longitudinal wave called?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: The high-density regions are called compressions and the low-density regions are called rarefactions.
In a longitudinal wave, particles bunch together in compressions and spread apart in rarefactions. These alternate along the wave's direction of travel.