Final answer:
Diffraction is the phenomenon that limits resolution by causing light to spread out when it passes through an aperture or lens, leading to a blurring of closely spaced objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the options provided, diffraction is known to limit resolution. This limitation is a fundamental consequence of the wave nature of light. When light passes through an aperture or a lens, such as the pupil in the human eye, it undergoes diffraction which causes it to spread out. This spreading can cause two closely spaced objects to blur together, making them less resolvable. Telescopes and other optical devices are subject to this limitation because of the finite diameter of their lenses or mirrors, which constrains the devices' ability to resolve fine details. The Rayleigh criterion provides a quantitative measure of this limit, stating that two point sources are just resolvable when the center of the diffraction pattern of one source overlaps with the first minimum of the diffraction pattern of the other source.