Which term refers to the area surrounding elements on a webpage that is left blank?

The term that refers to the area surrounding elements on a webpage that is left blank is known as whitespace. Whitespace plays a crucial role in user interface design, as it helps to create a visual structure and can enhance readability, focus, and clarity on a webpage. By allowing for sufficient spacing between various elements, such as text, images, and buttons, whitespace contributes to a clean and organized layout, making it easier for users to navigate and absorb content.

While other terms like "negative space" also describe similar concepts, whitespace is the most commonly used term in web design contexts to specifically highlight the open areas that do not contain any elements. The other options like "buffer zone" and "design gap" are not standard terminology used in web design to describe this concept and thus may not accurately convey the importance and effect of blank areas on a webpage.