Which of the following best describes ground resolution?

Ground resolution refers to the smallest detail that can be resolved in a satellite image. It directly influences how effectively features of the Earth's surface can be distinguished in the imagery. Higher ground resolution allows for clearer and more precise images where smaller objects and details can be discerned, such as roads, buildings, and vegetation types.

This characteristic is critical for applications in remote sensing, as it impacts the quality and usability of the data collected for various analyses, including land cover mapping, urban planning, and environmental monitoring. The other options do not pertain to ground resolution: processing speed relates to how quickly data can be handled, color fidelity refers to how accurately colors are represented in the images, and the number of sensors pertains to the equipment setup rather than the detail of specific images.