What defines a transverse wave?

A transverse wave is characterized by the movement of particles in the medium being perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. When a transverse wave travels through a medium, such as water or a rope, the individual particles move up and down or side to side while the wave itself moves forward. This is evident when considering waves on a string, where the peaks and troughs demonstrate this perpendicular motion.

In contrast, other types of waves, such as longitudinal waves, involve particle movement that is parallel to the path of the wave, which is not the case for transverse waves. Additionally, transverse waves can propagate through specific media, but they are not limited to only solid materials; for instance, light waves, which are electromagnetic waves, are also transverse and can travel through a vacuum. Therefore, stating that they can only travel through solids or that they cannot travel through a vacuum does not accurately describe their nature.