What type of wave is represented by sound waves?

Sound waves are classified as longitudinal waves because they involve oscillations of particles in the medium (such as air, water, or solids) parallel to the direction of wave propagation. In a longitudinal wave, the particles of the medium vibrate back and forth along the same direction that the wave travels. This results in areas of compression, where particles are close together, and rarefaction, where particles are spread apart.

In contrast, transverse waves, such as light and water waves, involve particle oscillations perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium to travel and can propagate through a vacuum, characterized by oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Surface waves, commonly found in water, involve both longitudinal and transverse motions and are observed at the interface between two different media (like water and air).

Therefore, sound waves being longitudinal waves specifically denotes their dependence on the medium for transmission and the nature of particle movement that defines how they travel through that medium.