What is the difference between resolution and accuracy in ADC/DAC systems?

Resolution is the smallest change that can be detected or produced - determined by number of bits. A 12-bit ADC with 0-10 V input has resolution of 10V/4096 = 2.44 mV. Accuracy is how close the reading is to the true value - affected by gain errors, offset errors, non-linearity, and noise. A high-resolution converter can still be inaccurate if poorly calibrated. Accuracy is usually specified as percentage of full scale or LSB count. Both must be adequate for the application - high resolution with poor accuracy provides false precision.