Question

Suppose you are a particle of water in a lake. Describe what happens to you when a motorboat passes by. Be sure to use words like vibration and crest in your description.

Answer 1

When a motorboat passes by, you that represent a particle in water will tend to move up and down in the place you are located. The motorboat creates ripples or vibrations within the water, and when you move up and down, you are creating crests of waves shown as vibrations in water.

Answer 2

When a motorboat passes by, a disturbance or vibration in the lake water is created which travels in all the directions. A water wave is a combination of longitudinal wave as well as transverse wave. If you are a particle of water in the lake, then you would be hit by nearby water particle which would set you in motion. you would travel up and down forming crest and trough and sideways. The energy would be transported forward, as you would collide with other particle and the wave moves forward. your position would not change. only the energy would be transported.