C2 notes: Transverse and longitudinal waves
The water wave demonstrates all the properties of a wave but isn't the easiest to understand. A wave in a string only propagates in 1-dimension so is a bit simpler. In some ways a string wave is too simple (!) as it can't be used to to show how a wave changes direction when it enters a different medium and can't be passed through a narrow opening to show diffraction. First we will consider a pulse moving along a...