Homework Help: Questions and Answers: Which of the following image file formats uses lossy file compression?
A. GIF
B. JPEG
C. PNG
D. RAW
Answer:
First, let’s understand what “lossy file compression” means:
- Lossy compression reduces file size by permanently removing some data.
- This results in a loss of quality, but often creates much smaller files.
Given Options: Step by Step Answering
a) GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
- GIFs use LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch) compression, which reduces file size without losing any data. GIFs are also limited to 256 colors, which makes them suitable for simple graphics, but this isn’t lossy compression.
b) JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
- JPEG files use lossy compression, meaning some of the original image data is discarded to reduce file size. The degree of compression can be adjusted, but it always results in some loss of quality.
c) PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
- PNGs use lossless compression, which preserves all original image data. They are good for images that need to retain high quality, especially with transparency.
d) RAW (Raw Image Format)
- RAW files contain unprocessed image data from a camera sensor, often without any compression or with lossless compression. They preserve all the details captured by the sensor.
Final Answer:
Based on the above analysis, the correct answer is:
B. JPEG
JPEG uses lossy compression to achieve smaller file sizes, which is particularly useful for photographs and web graphics where some loss in quality is acceptable in exchange for reduced file size.
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