Longitudinal waves have a crest or not ?

In summary, a wave is a traveling disturbance that is periodic in both space and time. This disturbance can take the form of various quantities such as the height of water waves, pressure, electric or magnetic fields, and more. These quantities have maxima called "crest" and minima called "trough" at certain positions, with the distance between subsequent crests or troughs being the wavelength. Both longitudinal and transversal waves have crests and troughs, but all waves exhibit this pattern of maxima and minima. The policy of this place is to provide hints rather than exact answers or solutions.
  • #1
YOOKUNG
18
0
longitudinal waves have a crest or not ? I am not sure.
 
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  • #2
Think: what is the crest of a wave? ehild
 
  • #3
ehild said:
Think: what is the crest of a wave?


ehild

wave_crest.gif
 
  • #4
A wave is not a curved line... What is a wave? It is a traveling disturbance, periodic both in space and time. That disturbance can be the height of the water waves. There you see real crests and troughs. But it can be pressure, or electric or magnetic field, electric current or voltage, or displacement of a point on a string and a lot of other things. These quantities have maxima called "crest" and minima "trought" at certain positions and the distance between subsequent crests or troughs is the wavelength.

There are longitudinal and transversal waves, but all of them are some periodic disturbance with maxima and minima...

ehild
 
Last edited:
  • #5
ehild said:
A wave is not a curved line... What is a wave? It is a traveling disturbance, periodic both in space and time. That disturbance can be the height of the water waves. There you see real crests and troughs. But it can be pressure, or electric or magnetic field, electric current or voltage, or displacement of a point on a string and a lot of other things. These quantities have maxima called "crest" and minima "trought" at certain positions and the distance between subsequent crests or troughs is the wavelength.

There are longitudinal and transversal waves, but all of them are some periodic disturbance with maxima and minima...

ehild


longitudinal waves have a crest or not ? >>> have/not have :smile:
 
  • #6
YOOKUNG said:
longitudinal waves have a crest or not ? >>> have/not have :smile:

he's telling you that ALL waves have alternating "crest" and "trough". by simple inference, longitudinal waves have "crest" and "trough" as well.
 
  • #7
YOOKUNG said:
longitudinal waves have a crest or not ? >>> have/not have :smile:

The policy of this place is that we do not give exact answers and full solutions. You get hints and have to find out the solution.

ehild
 
  • #8
ehild said:
The policy of this place is that we do not give exact answers and full solutions. You get hints and have to find out the solution.

ehild

sorry, I'm not good in English. :!)
 

Related to Longitudinal waves have a crest or not ?

1. Do longitudinal waves have a crest like transverse waves?

Yes, longitudinal waves do have a crest. However, the crest is not a physical displacement of the medium, but rather a point of maximum compression or rarefaction.

2. Can longitudinal waves have multiple crests?

No, longitudinal waves typically have one crest and one trough. This is because the particles in the medium are oscillating back and forth along the same direction as the wave propagation.

3. How do we measure the amplitude of a longitudinal wave?

The amplitude of a longitudinal wave is measured by the maximum displacement of the particles in the medium from their equilibrium position. This can be represented by the distance between the crest/trough and the equilibrium position.

4. What is the difference between a crest and a compression in a longitudinal wave?

A crest is a point of maximum displacement in a longitudinal wave, while a compression is a point of maximum compression in the medium. In other words, a crest is a point on the wave itself, while a compression is a characteristic of the medium.

5. Can a longitudinal wave have a crest without a trough?

No, a longitudinal wave cannot have a crest without a trough. This is because the crest and trough are always opposite points on the wave, representing the maximum and minimum displacement of the medium.

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