When inserting an element at the second position of an array, what happens to the original second element?

When you insert an element at the second position of an array, the original second element (and any subsequent elements) will be shifted to the right to accommodate the new element. Here's a more detailed breakdown of the process:

1. Initial Array: Let's assume we have an array, A, represented as: $A = [A_0, A_1, A_2, A_3, \ldots, A_n]$ where A_0 is the first element, A_1 is the second element, and so on.

2. Inserting the New Element: If we want to insert a new element, X, at the second position (index 1), the insertion operation would typically involve:

   • Storing the original element at position 1 (which is A_1) in a temporary variable if needed.
   • Shifting all elements from the original second position (A_1) to the end of the array one position to the right. This means A_1 moves to index 2, A_2 moves to index 3, and so forth.

3. Final Array Structure: After insertion, the new structure of the array will be: $A = [A_0, X, A_1, A_2, A_3, \ldots, A_n]$ Now, X is at index 1, and the original second element A_1 is now at index 2. All subsequent elements have been shifted right.

In summary, the act of inserting at the second position causes the original second element, along with any elements that follow, to move one position to the right. This is a common behavior in array operations, especially in static arrays where size is fixed. The efficiency of this operation should also be noted, as it may lead to performance implications depending on the array's size and the programming language's array handling characteristics.