What action is a wood chisel designed to perform?

A wood chisel is specifically designed to cut wood when struck. The sharp edge of the chisel allows the user to carve, shape, or remove material from wooden surfaces effectively. When the chisel is struck with a mallet or other tool, it can penetrate the wood fibers and make precise cuts or grooves, which is essential for joinery and other woodworking tasks.

The other options do not align with the primary function of a wood chisel. For instance, drilling holes in wood is typically performed with a drill bit, which has a different design and mechanism compared to a chisel. The chisel's function is not to sharpen metal edges, as that is the role of specific tools like files or sharpeners. Likewise, measuring wood sizes is done using measuring tapes or rulers rather than a chisel, which doesn't have any measuring capability. Thus, the action of cutting wood is the primary and correct purpose of the wood chisel.