A piece of driftwood moves up and down as water waves pass beneath it. However, it does not move toward the shore with the waves. What does this demonstrate about the propagation of waves through a medium?

A) Waves transmit energy but not matter as they progress through a medium.

B) Waves transmit matter but not energy as they progress through a medium.

C) Waves do not transmit matter or energy as they progress through a medium.

D) Waves transmit energy as well as matter as they progress through a medium.

Question

Sean

Physics

12 October, 13:05

A piece of driftwood moves up and down as water waves pass beneath it. However, it does not move toward the shore with the waves. What does this demonstrate about the propagation of waves through a medium?

A) Waves transmit energy but not matter as they progress through a medium.

B) Waves transmit matter but not energy as they progress through a medium.

C) Waves do not transmit matter or energy as they progress through a medium.

D) Waves transmit energy as well as matter as they progress through a medium.

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Grant Gill · Answer 1

A) waves transmit energy but not matter as they progress through a medium

the driftwood is moving up and down because the wave is transferring energy to it. there is no transfer of matter because every molecule stays in its horizontal position moving only up and down. had there been a transfer of matter then the drift wood would have moved towards the shore.