A longitudinal wave is a wave in which particles vibrate parallel to the wave’s direction, creating compressions and rarefactions. Examples include sound waves, seismic P-waves, and compression waves in a slinky. These waves require a medium to travel. A transverse wave, on the other hand, has particles moving perpendicular to the wave’s direction, forming crests and troughs. Examples include light waves, water waves, seismic S-waves, and vibrations in a stretched string. Unlike longitudinal wav