What does the water cycle transport?

Answer 1

Water waves are a mix of longitudinal and transverse waves. Particles of water actually travel in circles. If the particles move in clockwise circles, for example, then the wave propagates to the right.

To understand water waves, it's important to understand that water is not compressable. Sound waves are longitudinal waves where particles move back and forth and create areas of temporarily increased and decreased density and pressure. That is not possible with water waves, since the density can't significantly increase. Water also can't move as a transverse wave alone. If the height of the water increased without moving back and forth, the water would have to stretch vertically.

Instead, when water particles move toward each other to the crest of a wave, they also pile up and increase the height of the water.

Consider a wave propagating to the right. The particles move at their maximum rightward speed at the crest of the wave, so they catch up slightly with other particles still on the face of the wave. The height of water increases to the right. Then the crest passes the particle, and it begins to slow down because it tends to slide down the back of the wave. About halfway down the back of the wave, it has completed the first quarter of its circular path. It slows to a stop and starts moving left. At the trough of the wave, it is moving at its maximum leftward speed and has completed the right half of a circle. It is moving away from particles to its right, so the water height to its right decreases. Then the particle is caught by the face of the next wave. The face of the wave accelerates it to the right and slows its leftward motion until it stops about halfway up the face of the wave. Then it accelerates to the right until it reaches its maximum speed again at the crest of the next wave.

Particles under the surface of the water move too, motivated by variations in pressure. They move in similar circles to the surface particles, but smaller circles deeper in the water.

Answer 2

the water cycle transports water