Which of the following describes the flow characteristics of a ball valve?

A ball valve is designed with a hollow spherical ball that rotates within the valve body to either allow or block flow. One of its key characteristics is that it provides a straight-through flow path when in the open position. This design minimizes turbulence and pressure drop, resulting in low resistance to flow. Because of this feature, ball valves are highly efficient and are commonly used in applications where a quick shutoff or full flow is required, making them an excellent choice for on/off control.

In contrast, the other descriptions do not accurately capture the primary attributes of a ball valve. While they serve different purposes, they do not reflect the defining flow characteristics of the ball valve itself.