All waves are the result of some energy input such as a sudden atmospheric pressure drop producing air movement (wind) that could affect the surface of an ocean. The wind hits the water surface lowering its height (= a sudden change in potential energy), the depth of the height reduction depends on the amount of influenced energy and this surface lowering will produce an opposite reaction further away from the starting point making the surface raise the same amount as it sunk from the beginning. The distance between the minimum point in the valley and the maximum point oh the "hill" is called the wave length. Now if you could watch the waves from the side it would appear as if the water actually was moving in one direction. However, the water molecules stays at its original position i.e. the water itself is not travelling, it is merely acting as the media for the (energy) wave to travel within.
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Waves move up and down because of the oscillation of water particles caused by the transfer of energy through the water. This vertical motion is due to gravity pulling the water back down after it has been lifted by the energy passing through. Waves do move forward, but the overall motion is a combination of vertical and horizontal movement as the energy is transmitted through the water.
Waves that move up and down are called transverse waves. In a transverse wave, the particles of the medium oscillate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Examples of transverse waves include light waves and waves on a guitar string.
Waves move in a repeating pattern of oscillation, where they transport energy without moving matter. This oscillation can be seen in various types of waves, such as water waves, sound waves, and electromagnetic waves. The wave pattern is characterized by crests (peaks) and troughs (valleys) as the wave travels through a medium.
Waves can move in any direction - back and forth, up and down, or side to side. The direction of wave motion depends on the type of wave and the medium it is traveling through.
Seismic waves that move rocks up and down like a wave in a rope are called vertical or P-waves. These waves cause particles to vibrate in the direction of wave propagation, creating compression and expansion as the wave passes through the material. P-waves are the fastest seismic waves and can travel through both solids and liquids.
The water waves passing under a raft may cause it to bob up and down, but they do not move the raft horizontally because the waves transfer energy vertically rather than horizontally. Additionally, the raft's weight and buoyancy keep it in place despite the wave motion underneath.