Longitudinal Wave
In a longitudinal wave the particles move along the same line the wave travels, which is harder to picture than the up-and-down of a transverse wave. This simulation tracks individual particles so you can see them oscillating in place while the compressions march forward.
How to use this simulation
- Change the frequency and amplitude
- Highlight a single particle to follow its motion
- Slow the animation to see compressions form
What to look for
- Individual particles oscillate back and forth but never travel with the wave
- Compressions and rarefactions move steadily forward
- Raising the frequency packs the compressions closer together
The physics behind it
Particles oscillate parallel to the direction of propagation, bunching into compressions and spreading into rarefactions. The wave transfers energy without transporting matter — each particle simply oscillates about a fixed point. Wavelength is the distance between adjacent compressions, and the wave speed follows v = fλ as for any wave.