What is a for loop used for in Python?

A for loop in Python is used to iterate over a sequence, such as a list, tuple, dictionary, set, or string. This allows you to access each item in the sequence one at a time and perform operations or checks on each of those items. The syntax of a for loop facilitates this process by providing a straightforward way to execute a block of code for every item in the sequence without requiring explicit indexing.

For instance, when you use a for loop to traverse a list, you can perform actions like printing each element, modifying them, or applying conditions based on their values. This capability is particularly useful when processing data collections, as it simplifies handling multiple items by automatically managing the iteration.

The other choices refer to functionalities that, while important in Python, do not specifically describe the primary role of a for loop. Generating random numbers requires the use of the random module and is not related to iteration. Defining a function involves the use of the def keyword and outlines a reusable block of code; this does not involve iteration through sequences. Creating a new list can involve various methods such as list comprehensions or the list constructor, but it does not inherently involve a for loop. Thus, the core purpose of a for loop is clearly to