A wave does not make whatever it is moving through travel with it. Waves in the ocean do not move water from one location to another. If they did, all the water in the ocean would empty onto the shore. Instead, waves are the movement (or transfer) of energy. During this transfer of energy, waves do make matter vibrate, or move in place.

Waves don't make matter move. However, there is an exception at the seashore, where the ocean meets the land. As seawater nears the land, the water is displaced because of a lack of space where the ocean floor slopes up. At the shoreline, waves literally topple forward onto the beach.

Which of these best shows how waves can affect matter?

A
the moon’s gravity pulling the ocean a few feet up and down each day

B
light appearing as color to the human eye

C
a ship moving very quickly across the Atlantic Ocean

D
a buoy bobbing up and down in place with ocean waves