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What's the direction of energy transfer in a wave?

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It depends on the type of wave. With transverse waves, energy travels perpendicular to the direction of motion. In a longitudinal wave; however, energy travels parallel to the direction of motion. read more

The direction of energy tranfer is called the propagation direction, not to be confused with the polarization of the wave which is the direction that the disturbance to equilibrium oscillates. In standing waves and evanescent waves, there is a direction with no energy transfer. read more

Waves transfer energy but not mass When we watch surf waves coming into shore, it’s easy to think that individual water particles are moving towards us, but that’s not actually the case. The particles involved in waves move back and forth perpendicularly to the way the wave is going, but don’t move significantly in the direction of the wave. read more

A transverse wave is a moving wave that consists of oscillations occurring perpendicular (right angled) to the direction of energy transfer (or the propagation of the wave). If a transverse wave is moving in the positive x-direction, its oscillations are in up and down directions that lie in the y–z plane. read more

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