After this lesson, you should be able to:

• Represent a longitudinal wave in a spring with a diagram
• Describe the direction of motion of the particles of the medium relative to the direction of propagation of the wave
• Distinguish between wavelength and amplitude of a longitudinal wave
• Define period and frequency of a longitudinal wave
• Define compression and rarefaction
• Differentiate between transverse and longitudinal waves
• Use the wave equation to solve problems on longitudinal waves