Definitions of Magnification & Resolution

Magnification is a noun, which has three separate but related parts. The first is "the act of magnifying, or the state of being magnified."The second, broken into two parts, reads "the process of enlarging something, as an optical image" and "something that has been magnified, an enlarged representation, image or model." And lastly magnification is described as "the ratio of the size of an image to the size of an object."

The word resolution has over twelve definitions. Most of these separate definitions refer to resolution as a law, or as a personal commitment to something. There are however, three definitions of resolution as regarding science, optics and computers. Regarding optics, resolution is "the act, process, or capability of distinguishing between two adjacent objects or sources of light, or between two nearly equal wavelengths."For the scientific definition, resolution is "reduction to a simpler form." And regardsing computer imaging, resolution is "the degree of sharpness of a computer generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard copy printout, or the number of pixels across or down on a display screen."

Both magnification and resolution are terms often used to describe images. When an image's magnification is discussed, a person is referring to how many times larger than its actual size the image appears. Projections from microscopes are often described this way. Resolution, on the other hand, refers to how clear an image is. This is a term also used to describe magnified images, which might be fuzzy or indistinct. The clearer the focus on an image, the better the resolution. So while these terms are not interchangeable, they are often related.

Magnification is a term and an action that takes place constantly in our technologically advanced world. Projectors have the ability to magnify an artist's work, making a small image the size of the wall upon which it will be painted. Additionally, powerful microscopes have the ability to magnify things as small as atoms to huge size, so they are able to be viewed and studied. Telescopes even magnify the solar system, showing far away planets and stars enlarged to huge size, so that the human eye can appreciate them.

Resolution, as described above, is an equally important quality. Photographers are always concerned about the resolution of their pictures, because if an image is not sharp and clear, than it isn't as well executed as it could be, unless it was done deliberately for aesthetic effect. In the fields of technology, particularly in fields that rely on imaging, both computer monitors and printers must be able to show a high degree of resolution in their displays. Even the human eye is concerned with resolution, as we try to bring the world into a clear focus through our own eyes.