resolving power

noun

1. Optics.,  the ability of an optical device to produce separate images of close objects.

2. Photography.,  the degree to which a lens or photographic emulsion is able to define the details of an image.

resolving power

noun

1. Also called: resolution. physics

   1. the ability of a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument to produce separate images of closely placed objects

   2. the ability of a spectrometer to separate two adjacent peaks in a spectrum

2. photog the ability of an emulsion to show up fine detail in an image

Word History and Origins

Origin of resolving power¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

"This is unprecedented and entirely due to Webb's higher resolving power!"

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Thus, as you increase the wavelength from the optical to the millimeter range, you have to dramatically increase the size of the telescope to achieve the same resolving power.

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In optics, the resolving power of an instrument is the smallest distance at which two closely spaced objects can be separated.

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Scanners with even higher field strengths are expected to have resolving power that is at least double that of the 7-T devices.

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The limited resolving power of astronomical instruments usually means that we don't get to see any details on objects like distant stars.

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