Transverse wave

Ripples on a water surface are an example of a transverse wave. As a ripple travels horizontally across the surface, a small floating object rises and falls. Its up-and-down movement is perpendicular (at right angles) to the direction in which the ripple travels.

In a transverse wave, the oscillations are at right angles to the direction of travel. If a wave moves horizontally along a rope while points on the rope move up and down, the motion of the rope is perpendicular to the motion of the wave.

In a transverse wave, the vibration is at right angles to the direction of travel. Imagine a slinky stretched horizontally. Move one end up and down: the disturbance travels along the slinky, while its coils move up and down.

On a transverse wave diagram, it is the vertical distance from the centre line to a crest or to a trough.