Sound Waves in Solids: What Type of Waves Do They Propagate?

[SciencePF]

[SOLVED] Sound waves in solids?

Hello!
As far as i have learned sound waves are longitudinal! They propagate in gases liquids and plasmas. Does sound waves propagate through solids too? If so, what type of waves? Longitudinal or transversal?

Thanks
Note:If you consider this homework, sorry for that!

 

[billiards]

Sound propagates both as compressional "p-waves" (which are longitudinal - because particle motion is parallel to the ray) and shear "s-waves" (transverse - because particle motion is perpendicular to the ray) in solids. They travel at different velocities, p-waves are always faster than s-waves. Incidentally, if I remember my quantitative seismology correctly, from continuum mechanics the p-wave is the disturbance in a medium associated with "divergence" i.e. volume change of the medium, and the s-wave is associated with the rotation or "curl" i.e. the shape change or the "shear" of the medium.

 

[charng]

Yes, sound waves can indeed propagate through solids. They are considered to be longitudinal waves, meaning that the particles of the medium vibrate in the same direction as the wave travels. However, in some cases, sound waves can also exhibit transverse characteristics, where the particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction of the wave propagation. This is known as shear waves and is commonly observed in solids with anisotropic properties, such as crystals. Overall, the propagation of sound waves in solids is a complex phenomenon that depends on the properties of the material, such as density, elasticity, and structure. I hope this helps answer your question!