Longitudinal Waves Characteristics

The characteristics of longitudinal waves are:

Medium

Longitudinal waves are waves in which the vibration of the medium is parallel to the direction the wave travels, and the displacement of the medium is in the same direction as the wave’s propagation. These waves can be observed in various media, such as solids, liquids, and gases.

Velocity

The velocity of longitudinal waves depends on the properties of the medium, such as its density and elastic properties, rather than the source of the wave. For example, the speed of sound in a medium is primarily determined by the medium’s properties, not the intensity of the sound produced.

In the context of longitudinal waves, the forward velocity of a longitudinal wave is given by the formula:

v= λ/T = ω/k

Where:

v is the velocity of the wave

λ is the wavelength of the wave

T is the period of the wave

ω is the angular frequency of the wave

k is the wave vector

Some key points about the velocity of longitudinal waves include:

The velocity of longitudinal waves is directly proportional to the wavelength and inversely proportional to the period.
The velocity of longitudinal waves is also directly proportional to the angular frequency and inversely proportional to the wave vector.
The velocity of longitudinal waves is independent of the amplitude of the wave.