Transverse wave

A transverse wave is a moving wave that is made up of oscillations happening perpendicular(90 degree) to the direction of energy transfer. 

In a transverse wave, the medium(the material the wave moves through) moves up and down or side-to-side, while the wave itself moves forward.

 Properties 

 Crest: Highest point of a wave.
 Trough: Lowest point of a wave.
 Amplitude: Distance from the baseline(rest position) to crest or trough. Amplitude shows how much energy a wave carries.
 Wavelength: Wavelength(), is the distance between two crests or two troughs that are next to each other.
 Frequency: Frequency() is the number of waves that pass a point in one second. Frequency is measured in hertz(Hz).
 Speed: Speed() of a wave measure how fast a wave is moving forward.

 Formulae 
The velocity of a transverse wave is calculated by the following formula:To find the wavelength or the frequency of a wavelength, change the formula algebraically.

 Examples 
Transverse wave can be found in multiple fields of studies and nature, which include such following:

 Electromagnetic wave: Light, Radio wave, Microwave, and X-ray are all forms of transverse waves. These wave forms can travel through vacuum.
 Water wave: Ripples on the surface of the water body, creating a circular transverse wave.
 Seismic wave: During an earthquake, "secondary" waves move through the Earth's crust, which causes a side-by-side or up-down motion.
 Instrument strings: When a guitar or piano string is plucked, it vibrates in a side-by-side or up-down motion, like transverse wave.

 Transverse wave vs Longitudinal wave 
The main difference between a transverse wave and longitudinal wave is their direction of movement:

 In a transverse wave, the medium moves perpendicular to the wave's direction.
 In a longitudinal wave, the medium moves parallel in the same direction as the wave.

 Related pages 
 Wave (physics)
 Longitudinal wave
Category:Waves
Category:Wave mechanics