In deep-water surface waves, particles move along nearly circular paths, with motion becoming smaller below the surface. The pattern passes energy from place to place while particles remain near their starting region. Real paths are not perfectly closed, so this does not mean water can never drift forward.
Water and oceans · Discover & try
Does a wave carry the same water across the ocean?
Reading level 4 of 5 · FluentChange
Word help
crest
The highest part of a wave.
trough
The lowest part of a wave.
wavelength
The spacing between successive crests.
drift
An overall movement added to a particle's back-and-forth motion.
Watch · Try · Explain
See how it works
The interactive activity is loading.
Deep-water wave model; currents, breaking, and net drift omitted.
What to look for
- A crest moving along the surface
- The marked particle's local looping path
- Wave height compared with wavelength
Explain what you noticed
What does the marked particle show in this model?
Keep this idea: Wave patterns travel; particles mainly move locally.
Follow the sources
- NOAA National Ocean Service — Why does the ocean have waves?
- NOAA — JetStream Max: Anatomy of a Wave
- NOAA — Waves
Source material checked 2026-10-28. Explanations and activities by Nepedia. Agency source links do not imply endorsement.
Keep following the idea
Next discovery →