Which of the following describes the main function of developers in film processing?

The main function of developers in film processing is to enhance the chemical reactions for image development. Developers contain reducing agents that convert exposed silver halide crystals in the film emulsion into metallic silver, which forms the visible image. This process allows the latent image that was formed during exposure to be developed into a negative image that can then be seen and processed further.

The effectiveness of the developer is crucial as it not only initiates the development of the image but also influences the density and contrast of the final film. Therefore, the ability of a developer to facilitate these chemical reactions is what primarily defines its role in the film processing workflow.