Transcript: Light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation are transverse waves. This means that the oscillations of the electric and magnetic fields takes place perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave energy. A familiar example of a transverse wave is a water wave. Note in this example how when a wave occurs in a medium like water the medium itself does not move from one place to another, but wave energy is nonetheless transmitted. The other type of wave is a longitudinal wave; sound waves are an example of this. In the case of sound waves, the wave is a compression wave that passes through the air molecules with the vibration passing from air molecule to air molecule with compression and rarefaction. In this case, the oscillation takes place in the direction of motion. These are the two fundamental directions of wave motion. You can see both of them at work with a simple child’s toy, the slinky. With the slinky you can wiggle the slinky and send a transverse wave or push the slinky and send a longitudinal wave.