What is the purpose of the append() method in a Python list?

The append() method in a Python list is specifically designed to add an element to the end of the list. When you call this method on a list and provide it with a value, that value is placed at the last position in the list, effectively increasing the size of the list by one.

For example, if you have a list my_list containing [1, 2, 3], and you use my_list.append(4), the list will then be updated to [1, 2, 3, 4]. This behavior is critical for managing dynamic collections of data where the length of the list may need to grow as new items are added.

The other options pertain to different list operations: removing an element or sorting the list do not utilize the append() method. Additionally, adding an element at a specific index is handled by the insert() method, which does not affect the end of the list like append() does. Overall, understanding the use of append() enhances your ability to manipulate lists in Python effectively.