When two reflectors are closer side by side than the beam width _______ is observed on the image.

When two reflectors are closer side by side than the beam width _______ is observed on the image.

• A. Only One Reflection
• B. Two Reflections
• C. No Reflections
• D. An Artifact

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how the beam width limits lateral resolution. If two reflectors sit side by side within the width of the beam, the echoes overlap in the region the transducer detects, so the system can’t distinguish them as separate structures. They merge into one signal, so only a single reflection appears on the image. If the reflectors were farther apart than the beam width, you’d see two distinct reflections. The other scenarios don’t fit because there would be no need to merge echoes if there isn’t any separation, and calling it an artifact isn’t necessary here—the result is simply a limitation of resolution.

The key idea is how the beam width limits lateral resolution. If two reflectors sit side by side within the width of the beam, the echoes overlap in the region the transducer detects, so the system can’t distinguish them as separate structures. They merge into one signal, so only a single reflection appears on the image. If the reflectors were farther apart than the beam width, you’d see two distinct reflections. The other scenarios don’t fit because there would be no need to merge echoes if there isn’t any separation, and calling it an artifact isn’t necessary here—the result is simply a limitation of resolution.