High School

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A boat produces a wave as it passes an aluminum can floating in a lake. Explain why the can merely moves up and down while waves propagate away from the disturbance caused by the boat.

Answer :

The aluminum can moves up and down due to the vertical motion of water particles caused by the passing wave, while the wave energy propagates horizontally away from the disturbance.

When a boat moves through a lake, it generates waves on the surface of the water. These waves are mechanical waves that propagate through the water, carrying energy away from the point of disturbance.

The motion of the waves can be understood by considering the nature of wave mechanics and the properties of water.

Water waves are typically transverse waves, where the displacement of the water particles is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. As the wave travels, it creates a series of crests (high points) and troughs (low points) on the water surface.

The water particles themselves, including objects floating on the water like an aluminum can, move in circular or elliptical paths. This movement is largely vertical, causing the can to move up and down.

The reason the can moves up and down instead of traveling with the wave is that the energy and momentum in a wave are transferred through the medium (water) rather than causing the medium itself to travel with the wave.

Each water particle oscillates around a relatively fixed position, passing the wave energy to neighboring particles, which allows the wave to move forward.

The can, being buoyant and floating on the surface, experiences these oscillations as vertical movements without being carried along horizontally by the wave.

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