Can transverse waves travel through solids?

As a domain expert in physics, I can tell you that transverse waves can indeed travel through solids. Transverse waves are characterized by the oscillation of particles in the medium being perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel. In a solid, the particles are closely packed and strongly bonded, allowing for the transmission of both transverse and longitudinal waves. Longitudinal waves, such as sound waves in air, involve particle motion in the same direction as the wave's travel. Solids can support both types of waves because the intermolecular forces are strong enough to allow for the shearing and compressing motions that transverse and longitudinal waves require. In contrast, fluids, which include liquids and gases, cannot support transverse waves because their particles are not held in a fixed position relative to each other and do not have the structural rigidity necessary to maintain the perpendicular oscillation pattern of transverse waves. In summary, transverse waves can travel through solids due to the rigidity and structural integrity of the medium, which allows for the necessary particle motion.

Waves traveling through a solid medium can be either transverse waves or longitudinal waves. Yet waves traveling through the bulk of a fluid (such as a liquid or a gas) are always longitudinal waves. Transverse waves require a relatively rigid medium in order to transmit their energy.