Are transverse waves the travelling waves?

As a wave is observed traveling through a medium, a crest is seen moving along from particle to particle. This crest is followed by a trough that is in turn followed by the next crest. In fact, one would observe a distinct wave pattern (in the form of a sine wave) traveling through the medium. read more

Traveling waves are observed when a wave is not confined to a given space along the medium. The most commonly observed traveling wave is an ocean wave. If a wave is introduced into an elastic cord with its ends held 3 meters apart, it becomes confined in a small region. read more

Yes and no: as Walter Lewin says, standing waves are in a sense fake, and are best thought of as a pair of waves traveling in opposite directions. But they are called standing waves and they do look as if they're standing, and there are both longitudinal varieties (e.g., sound waves in organ pipes) and transverse varieties (waves in guitar strings). read more

There are two basic types of wave motion for mechanical waves: longitudinal waves and transverse waves. The animations below demonstrate both types of wave and illustrate the difference between the motion of the wave and the motion of the particles in the medium through which the wave is travelling. read more