Which statement is true about the raster data model?

The raster data model is fundamentally characterized by its representation of the earth's surface using a grid structure made up of equally sized cells, often referred to as pixels. Each cell holds a value that represents information about a specific location, such as elevation, temperature, or land cover type. This grid-based approach is especially suited for continuous data, where values change smoothly and gradually over space.

By using a uniform grid, the raster data model allows for straightforward analysis and visualization of spatial phenomena. The equally sized cells enable easy computation of operations like overlay, distance calculations, and surface analysis, as each cell can be directly compared to its neighbors.

While discrete features can be represented in raster format by assigning them values (e.g., using different values for different land classifications), the raster model itself is best designed to capture continuous variations. Therefore, the depiction of the earth's surface as a grid of equally sized cells is the hallmark of the raster data model and supports both the representation of continuous data and the identification of spatial patterns across a geographic area.