Which waves are known for moving the fastest?

Tides are the largest and most predictable waves caused by gravitational forces exerted by the moon and sun on the Earth's water bodies. Although tides may not appear to move quickly across vast expanses of ocean, they are considered to be long-period waves that travel at the speed of a wave signal, which can reach several hundred kilometers per hour in deep water.

When comparing tides to other types of waves, such as wind waves, capillary waves, and sound waves, it becomes evident that tides propagate over vast distances with significant speed due to their long wavelength and the force that generates them. Capillary waves are tiny waves primarily caused by the wind, and their speeds are much slower. Wind waves, while they can propagate quickly under the right conditions, do not reach the velocities associated with tidal movements. Sound waves, although they can travel quickly through water, do not match the large-scale propagation speed of tides when considering the overall movement of the tidal wave across the ocean. Thus, tides indeed have a greater speed in terms of wave propagation on the ocean scale.