Final answer:
Water particles move parallel to the wave's travel as a longitudinal wave, creating areas of compression and rarefaction as the sound wave travels through water.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a sound wave travels through water, the particles of water move in a way that is typical of longitudinal waves. In a longitudinal wave, particles of the medium move in a direction parallel to the direction of the wave's travel. This means that as a sound wave passes through water, the water particles will oscillate back and forth in the same direction as the wave is moving, creating areas of compression and rarefaction. Unlike in transverse waves, where the movement is perpendicular to the direction of the wave, in longitudinal waves particles move in the same direction as the wave itself.
This concept is important because it helps us understand how sound can be efficiently transmitted through different media. Sound travels faster in liquids and solids than in air because the particles are closer together, allowing for quicker transmission of the energy. In solids, sound waves can be both longitudinal and transverse, but in fluids like water, the sound waves must be longitudinal due to the lack of shear strength in these materials.