Onda longitudinal
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.
Como usar esta simulação
- Change the frequency and amplitude
- Highlight a single particle to follow its motion
- Slow the animation to see compressions form
O que observar
- 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
A física por trás
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.