What does the `append()` method do in lists?

The append() method is specifically designed to add an element to the end of a list in Python. When this method is called on a list object, it takes a single argument (the element to be added) and modifies the list in place, increasing its length by the addition of the new element. This behavior makes it a convenient way to grow a list dynamically during runtime.

For example, if you have a list named my_list, calling my_list.append(5) will add the number 5 as the last element of my_list. This is essential for scenarios where the number of elements is not predetermined, allowing for flexible data manipulation.

The other options describe functionalities that are not provided by the append() method. Inserting at a specific index would utilize the insert() method, removing an element corresponds to the remove() or pop() methods, and creating a new list isn't an action associated with append(), as it modifies the existing list instead.