Energy transfer happens in different ways, and two main types of waves are involved: transverse waves and longitudinal waves.

Transverse Waves

• In these waves, the movement is sideways compared to the direction the energy is moving.
• You can imagine water ripples or light waves. Both show how energy travels through something.

Longitudinal Waves

• In these waves, the movement is in the same direction as the energy transfer.
• A good example is sound waves. In sound waves, areas of compression (where air is pushed together) and rarefaction (where air spreads out) move through the air.

In nature, these waves are always interacting. For instance, when an earthquake happens, the ground shakes (that's the transverse waves) and you can hear the sound (that's the longitudinal waves).

Both types of waves are very important. They help us understand things like music, earthquakes, and even waves in the ocean. This shows just how connected energy and waves really are!