Work out sensor resolution (bits) instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
One LSB is full-scale range divided by 2 to the power n, so a 12-bit converter on 10 V resolves 2.44 mV. Real noise-free resolution is always lower: losing 1.5 bits to noise means the smallest reliably distinguishable step is nearly three LSBs.
ADC resolution
LSB = full scale / 2^n; effective resolution = LSB x 2^(bits lost to noise)
Thermal noise, reference noise, clock jitter and layout coupling all add. Datasheets quote effective number of bits (ENOB), which is the honest figure.
Averaging: each factor of four in the number of averaged samples recovers one bit, provided the noise is random and the signal is stationary.