Final answer:
Water waves travel by transferring energy from wind or disturbances into the water, causing it to oscillate, while the water itself does not travel with the wave. the correct option is true.
Step-by-step explanation:
Waves can indeed transfer energy through water when disturbances like wind or other forces impart energy into it. This is true for water waves, as they are essentially oscillations or periodic movements that carry energy from one point to another without moving the water mass permanently from place to place. Instead, the particles of water primarily undergo an up-and-down motion, while the energy of the wave moves horizontally.
The misconception that water itself is being transferred along with the wave should be corrected; what actually travels is the wave's energy. For instance, the motion of a buoy on the sea illustrates how it moves up and down with the passing waves, converting this motion into electrical energy without the water itself moving long distances.
The true nature of waves as energy carriers can be exemplified by the phenomenon of 'The Wave' in sports stadiums, where fans stand up and sit down in sequence to create a wave effect. Here, each person remains in their spot, but the collective motion gives the illusion of a wave traveling around the stadium. This analogy helps to clarify that in water waves, it is the energy that is moving, not the mass of water itself.