What does the .wav file extension indicate?

The .wav file extension indicates a standard WAVE audio file, which is designed for storing waveform representations of audio data. This format is widely used for high-quality audio on both Windows and other platforms because it supports uncompressed audio and can handle multiple audio channels, making it suitable for professional audio processing and playback. WAVE files are known for maintaining high fidelity, as they usually represent sound in a way that closely mirrors its original recorded quality.

Other options refer to different types of file types that do not relate to audio. For example, video formats pertain to files that contain moving visual images, while image compression formats like JPEG involve reducing the file size of images. Text documents, on the other hand, are used to store written data in a textual format. Thus, the specificity of the .wav extension clearly categorizes it as an audio file type.