Here's why:
* Transverse waves have oscillations that are perpendicular to the direction the wave travels. Imagine shaking a rope up and down. The wave travels horizontally along the rope, but the rope itself moves up and down (vertically).
* Longitudinal waves, on the other hand, have oscillations that are parallel to the direction of travel. Think of a spring being compressed and stretched. The wave travels along the spring, and the spring coils compress and expand in the same direction.
Examples of transverse waves:
* Light waves
* Water waves
* Waves on a string
Examples of longitudinal waves:
* Sound waves
* Seismic waves (P-waves)
