What type of wave travels perpendicular to the direction of energy transport?

A transverse wave is characterized by particle motion that occurs at right angles to the direction in which the wave travels. This means that if the wave is moving horizontally, the particles of the medium move vertically. A classic example of a transverse wave is the wave formed on a string, where peaks and troughs are evident as the wave energy moves along the string, demonstrating the perpendicular movement.

In contrast, a longitudinal wave features particle displacement in the same direction as the wave propagation. This type of wave compresses and stretches the medium, exemplified by sound waves traveling through air.

Stationary waves, or standing waves, are formed by the interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions, resulting in fixed points of no amplitude (nodes) and variable amplitude at other points (antinodes). While they can show some properties of both transverse and longitudinal waves, they do not fit the criteria of singular wave types in this context.

Electromagnetic waves are indeed transverse waves, consisting of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. However, the question specifically focuses on the broader classification of wave types, where the best representation of the relationship between particle motion and energy transport direction is found in the definition of a transverse wave. Thus, identifying transverse waves accurately encapsulates the concept of perpendicular