Final answer:
Increasing the resolution is necessary to distinguish if what appears to be one object is actually two objects close together. Magnification makes objects larger, while resolution provides the clarity needed to tell them apart. Two factors affecting resolution are the wavelength of light and the numerical aperture of the lens.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to the question 'Increasing the _____ would allow you to tell if what appears as one object is really two objects very near each other.' is resolution. Magnification and resolution are both critical aspects of microscopy, but they serve different purposes. Magnification is the ability of a lens to enlarge the image of an object when compared to the real object, but it is the resolution that determines the clarity of the image by distinguishing two adjacent structures as separate entities. Therefore, to see if one object is actually two objects very closely positioned, a higher resolution would be required.
Resolution is different from contrast, which is the differentiation of colors and shades in an image. For a microscope, two main factors that affect resolution are wavelength of the light used (shorter wavelengths allow for better resolution) and the numerical aperture of the lens, which is a measure of its ability to gather light. Ultimately, while magnification can make objects appear larger, it is the resolution that provides the detail necessary to distinguish closely positioned objects.