Final answer:
The movement of water molecules as a wave passes is in a circular path. Water waves propagate energy without moving water over long distances, causing objects on the surface to move up and down.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the student's question about the movement of water molecules as a wave passes is c) In a circular path. When a water wave propagates, it causes the water molecules to move in a circular motion. As the wave travels, the energy of the wave moves forward, making an object on the surface such as a toy boat go up and down. However, the water molecules themselves do not travel with the wave; they simply oscillate about their equilibrium position. This is a result of the water wave being a combination of longitudinal and transverse wave motions, where the particles in the medium (water, in this case) exhibit motion in both the direction of the wave and perpendicular to it.
Waves propagate energy through a medium without transferring the medium itself over long distances. This is why a seagull floating on the ocean moves up and down but does not significantly move horizontally over the surface with the passing wave. The misconception that waves push water from one place to another is not accurate; it's the wave's energy that moves, not the bulk of the water.