longitudinal wave: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	compression wave • rarefaction wave • pressure wave • compressional wave

Photos

Diagram showing a longitudinal wave as a series of compressed and stretched coils with labeled points, and below it, a red curve representing the same wave as a transverse wave, aligning points vertically for comparison.

Figure 16: Cross section with shading proportional to the velocities of compressional (P) waves through the Earth.

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Topics

ion acoustic wave primary wave shock wave rarefaction sonic boom Mach cone transverse wave wave electromagnetic radiation sound wave Gravitational wave seismic wave standing wave bow wave radio wave elastic wave radiation

Italian-born physicist Dr. Enrico Fermi draws a diagram at a blackboard with mathematical equations. circa 1950.

Physics and Natural Law