An artificial increase in display contrast at an edge of the image is called which?

• A. Smoothing
• B. Edge enhancement
• C. Contrast resolution
• D. Spatial resolution

Answer: (B)

Edge enhancement is the process of increasing contrast at boundaries between structures to make edges appear more distinct. This often involves boosting the high-frequency components of the image so the brightness changes more sharply where two regions meet. When you look at an image with edge enhancement, you’ll notice crisper outlines and more defined borders between bright and dark areas.

Smoothing, by contrast, would soften or blur edges, reducing sharp transitions. Contrast resolution describes the overall ability to distinguish different brightness levels across the image, not specifically at edges. Spatial resolution refers to how finely detail is laid out or how close two structures can be before they blur together, which is about spatial detail rather than local edge contrast.