The resolution of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is based on what?

The resolution of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is fundamentally determined by the input voltage range and the number of binary levels or bits that the converter uses to represent that range.

In essence, the input voltage range refers to the minimum and maximum voltage values that the ADC can accurately measure and convert into a digital signal. The binary numbers, in this context, represent the quantization levels; for example, an ADC with a 3-bit resolution can represent 2^3 = 8 distinct values. Therefore, the finer the granularity of the input voltage range and the more bits used, the higher the resolution of the ADC. This means it can more precisely represent small changes in the input signal with a corresponding digital output.

As a result, the combination of the input voltage range with the number of binary levels directly impacts the ADC's ability to resolve differences in signal levels, thereby defining its resolution. Understanding how these factors contribute to the operation of ADCs is critical for effectively using these devices in various biomedical applications.