What component can cause aliasing in sampled signals?

Aliasing occurs when a signal is sampled at a rate that is insufficient to capture the changes in the signal accurately. This happens specifically when the sampling rate is less than twice the highest frequency present in the signal, which is described by the Nyquist theorem. When this occurs, higher frequency components of the signal can be misinterpreted as lower frequency components, leading to distortion and inaccuracies in the reconstructed signal.

Inadequate sampling rate directly influences the ability to accurately represent a signal, and thus is the critical factor leading to aliasing. By ensuring that the sampling rate meets or exceeds the Nyquist criteria, aliasing can be avoided, allowing for a true representation of the original signal in the sampled data.

The other options relate to different aspects of signal processing that do not directly cause aliasing. Common mode rejection pertains to the ability of an amplifier or circuit to reject noise that is common to all input lines, while frequency resolution pertains to the ability to distinguish between different frequencies after sampling. Input impedance relates to the resistance seen by the signal source, which can affect signal integrity but not aliasing directly.