Final answer:
The statement is true; the ability to distinguish separate trees in the forest reflects the resolving power or resolution of visual acuity, similar to how a microscope distinguishes between closely spaced point objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that being able to distinguish separate trees in the forest is an example of the resolving power of visual acuity is true. Resolving power or resolution refers to the ability to see two closely spaced objects as distinct from each other. This concept is crucial both in human vision and when using instruments like microscopes. In microscopy, resolution is especially important and is affected by factors like the wavelength of light and the numerical aperture (NA) of the lens system. The Rayleigh criterion provides a method for calculating the resolving power, indicating that two points can be resolved when there is a certain minimum angular separation.
In everyday life, visual acuity allows us to see fine details and differentiate between objects, such as trees at a distance. Just as a microscope's resolving power enables the distinction between two point objects separated by a distance x, our eyes must do the same when looking at separate entities in our environment. Therefore, the clarity with which we can discern individual trees in a forest from a distance exemplifies our visual system's resolving power.