Final answer:
Encapsulation is best exemplified by the addition of a header to data as it moves down the layers of the OSI model, with option a being the correct one.
Step-by-step explanation:
Encapsulation in the context of the OSI model refers to the process where data from a higher layer is packaged with a protocol-specific header (and sometimes a trailer) by a lower layer. Given the options, the best example of encapsulation is a. The addition of a header to data inherited from the layer above in the OSI model. When data is passed down from a higher layer to a lower layer, a header (and possibly a trailer) relevant to that lower layer's protocol is added to the data packet. The header contains control information like destination and source addresses, error-checking codes, and segmentation or reassembly information needed by the receiving end to understand how to process the incoming data.