The wave is propagating in the direction of its energy transfer.
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The electromagnetic wave right-hand rule is used to determine the direction of the electric and magnetic fields in a propagating electromagnetic wave. By using your right hand with your thumb pointing in the direction of the wave's propagation, your fingers curl in the direction of the electric field, and your palm faces in the direction of the magnetic field. This rule helps visualize the relationship between the fields in the wave.
Longitudinal waves move in a direction parallel to the direction of vibration of the particles in the medium through which the wave is propagating. This means that the particles oscillate back and forth in the same direction that the wave is traveling.
When a wave travels through a medium, the particles of the medium vibrate back and forth in the direction of the wave. Energy is transferred from one particle to the next, propagating the wave through the medium. The wave may change direction, speed, or amplitude depending on the properties of the medium it is traveling through.
In a surface wave, the particles of the medium move in elliptical orbits. This means that the particles move both vertically and horizontally in the direction the wave is propagating. The motion is a combination of both longitudinal and transverse waves.
Longitudinal means that the oscillation of particles in the wave occurs parallel to the direction of energy transfer. In the case of sound waves, the particles of the medium vibrate back and forth in the same direction that the sound wave is propagating.