Transverse and Longitudinal Waves

Transverse Waves:

These waves have crests and troughs. The crests are the highest points of the wave, while the troughs are the lowest points.
Vibrations in transverse waves are at right angles (perpendicular) to the direction in which the wave travels.
Light and other electromagnetic waves, waves on water, and waves on a stretched string, all displayed transverse behaviour.

Longitudinal Waves:

These waves have compressions and rarefactions. The areas where the particles are close together are called compressions, and where they’re farthest apart are called rarefactions.
In longitudinal waves, the vibrations are parallel to the direction of wave propagation.
Sound waves in the air and other gases and liquids, as well as waves in a slinky or coil spring, are examples of longitudinal waves.

General Properties of Waves:

Both transverse and longitudinal waves have measurable properties, including amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed.
The amplitude of a wave is its maximum displacement from its undisturbed position. In a diagram, this is typically interpreted as the height from the middle of the wave to the crest or the depth from the middle to the trough.
The wavelength of a wave describes the distance between two equivalent points on a wave, often measured from crest to crest or trough to trough.
The frequency of a wave is the number of waves passing a point in a certain amount of time, typically in seconds. It is measured in Hertz (Hz).
The speed of a wave is calculated by multiplying its wavelength by its frequency. It explains how fast the energy is transferred by the wave.