are electromagnetic waves longitudinal or transverse
light waves or electromagnetic waves are transverse and sound waves are longitudinal. Electromagnetic 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).m waves are transverse in nature. the electric and magnetic field vectors are perpendicular to the direction of propagation of waves. Electromagnetic waves in pure vacuum ar â¦ e transverse, but in a plasma (ionized gas) electromagnetic waves can occur as transverse or longitudinal.