1. Crest: The highest point of the wave, where the medium is displaced the furthest from its resting position in the direction of the wave's propagation.
2. Trough: The lowest point of the wave, where the medium is displaced the furthest from its resting position in the opposite direction of the wave's propagation.
3. Amplitude: The maximum displacement of the medium from its resting position. It is the distance from the resting position to either the crest or the trough.
4. Wavelength: The distance between two consecutive crests or two consecutive troughs. It represents the length of one complete wave cycle.
5. Wave Velocity: The speed at which the wave propagates through the medium. It is determined by the properties of the medium and is independent of the amplitude.
6. Frequency: The number of wave cycles that pass a given point per unit time. It is measured in Hertz (Hz).
7. Period: The time it takes for one complete wave cycle to pass a given point. It is the reciprocal of frequency.
Key Features:
* Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of propagation. This means the medium's displacement (e.g., up and down movement of a rope) is perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling (e.g., along the rope).
* They can travel through both solids and liquids, but not through a vacuum.
Visual Representation:
Imagine a rope tied to a wall. If you shake the rope up and down, you create a transverse wave. The wave travels along the rope, and the individual points on the rope move up and down, perpendicular to the direction of the wave's motion.
Here's a simplified diagram:
```
/\
/ \
/ \
/______\ <-- Crest
/ \
/ \
| |
| | <-- Resting Position
\ /
\ /
\______/ <-- Trough
\ /
\ /
\/
```
This diagram shows the basic structure of a transverse wave. The arrows indicate the direction of the wave's propagation and the medium's displacement.
