Spatial resolution is defined as what?

• A. Frame rate
• B. Ability to distinguish fine detail
• C. Maximum brightness
• D. Ability to detect color differences

Answer: (B)

Spatial resolution measures how finely an image can be sampled and rendered, i.e., the ability to distinguish fine detail. When an imaging system has high spatial resolution, you can separate two closely spaced features (like thin lines or edges) as distinct elements rather than seeing a blurred single feature. This ability depends on both the optics (lens quality, aperture) and the detector/sampling (pixel size and count) and is often expressed in units like line pairs per millimeter or cycles per degree. It’s distinct from frame rate, which is about how many images are captured per second (temporal resolution); or from maximum brightness, which relates to luminance or dynamic range; or from color differences, which concerns color resolution.