resolving power
Americannoun
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Optics. the ability of an optical device to produce separate images of close objects.
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Photography. the degree to which a lens or photographic emulsion is able to define the details of an image.
noun
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Also called: resolution. physics
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the ability of a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument to produce separate images of closely placed objects
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the ability of a spectrometer to separate two adjacent peaks in a spectrum
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photog the ability of an emulsion to show up fine detail in an image
Etymology
Origin of resolving power
First recorded in 1875–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"This is unprecedented and entirely due to Webb's higher resolving power!"
From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2023
Two parameters that are important in microscopy are magnification and resolving power.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
The effective resolving power of each observation was obtained from fits to unsaturated telluric absorption lines and yielded mean values of 4,290, 8,150 and 5,750 in the ultraviolet B, visible and near-infrared arms, respectively.
From Nature ● Oct. 15, 2017
A telescope’s resolving power depends on the width of its aperture.
From Economist ● Jan. 7, 2016
On account of the short focal length of the three-foot mirror, the photographic resolving power of the telescope is much below its optical resolving power.
From Photographs of Nebul? and Clusters Made with the Crossley Reflector by James Edward Keeler
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
