In a transverse wave, how is the particle motion oriented in relation to the wave velocity?

In a transverse wave, the particle motion is oriented perpendicular to the direction of wave velocity. This means that as the wave travels along a certain path, the particles of the medium oscillate up and down (or side to side), rather than moving forward with the wave.

This distinction is critical in understanding wave behavior. For example, in waves on a string, the segments of the string move up and down while the energy of the wave moves horizontally along the length of the string. This characteristic is what differentiates transverse waves from longitudinal waves, where particle motion is parallel to wave velocity. Additionally, in seismic waves, transverse waves are responsible for shaking the ground side to side, demonstrating this perpendicular relationship universally.