What is the primary measurement that characterizes the speed of wave movement?

The primary measurement that characterizes the speed of wave movement is velocity. In the context of oceanography and wave dynamics, wave velocity refers to how fast a wave travels through a medium, which, in the case of ocean waves, is water. The velocity of a wave can typically be calculated using the formula:

Velocity = Wavelength × Frequency.

This relationship shows how wavelength and frequency are interconnected in determining wave speed. While wavelength measures the distance between successive wave crests, and frequency indicates how many crests pass a point in a given time, it is the velocity that directly represents the movement of the wave itself.

The other options, such as wavelength, frequency, and amplitude, are important parameters that describe different characteristics of waves but do not define their speed directly. Wavelength focuses on the physical distance of a wave, frequency pertains to the number of occurrences in a unit time, and amplitude relates to the height of the wave, which reflects energy but does not influence wave speed. Therefore, velocity is the definitive measurement when discussing how quickly waves propagate through a medium like the ocean.