Which three factors affect wind wave development including the length of time the wind blows and fetch?

Wind wave development is influenced primarily by how strong the wind is, the duration for which it blows, and the distance over water that the wind travels, known as fetch. Among the available choices, wind strength is a critical factor because it directly determines the amount of energy that is transferred from the wind to the surface of the water.

As wind blows across the ocean surface, it creates friction, which leads to the formation of waves. The stronger the wind, the more energy it imparts to the water, resulting in larger and more powerful waves. Furthermore, if the wind blows steadily over a long period, and across a long fetch, these larger waves can continue to build, increasing in height and steepness.

While wave steepness and wave height are indeed characteristics resulting from the wind strength, they do not influence wave development in the same direct way that wind strength does. Surface tension, on the other hand, plays a minimal role in wave formation compared to the factors that govern wind wave dynamics and is therefore less relevant in determining wave characteristics in general maritime settings.