Question

A 1:50,000 scale map can be compared to the following spatial resolution:

• A. \( 50000 \, \text{m} \)
• B. \( 50 \, \text{m} \)
• C. \( 1/50000 \, \text{m} \)
• D. \( \text{Not possible to compare} \)

Hint:

Think of map scale as "1 cm on the map = 50,000 cm on the ground," while spatial resolution is about the size of each 'dot' in the image.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Map scale (like 1:50,000) is a ratio representing the relationship between a distance on the map and the corresponding distance on the ground. Spatial resolution, on the other hand, refers to the level of detail visible in an image or raster dataset, often expressed as the size of the smallest feature that can be distinguished (e.g., pixel size). These are fundamentally different concepts and cannot be directly compared. Map scale relates to the overall reduction factor, while spatial resolution describes the granularity of the data representation.