Question 6Fill in the blank: The SQL clause SELECT * is used to retrieve all data from a particular _____.

Understanding the SQL SELECT Clause

The SQL clause SELECT * is a fundamental part of SQL used to query databases. When you utilize SELECT *, you are indicating that you want to select all columns available in a specified table.

Context of the Blank

In the context of filling in the blank, the appropriate term to complete the statement would be a "table." This is because in SQL, a table is the structure that holds data in a relational database, composed of rows and columns, where each column represents a field in the dataset.

Completed Statement

Thus, the completed statement would read: "The SQL clause SELECT * is used to retrieve all data from a particular table."

This statement encapsulates a key aspect of SQL, where querying a table with SELECT * provides a full view of the data stored within that table, facilitating access for analysis, reporting, or further data manipulation. It implies that you are interested in every piece of information that is held in the table without the need to specify each column individually. While practical, it’s important to note that using SELECT * can sometimes lead to inefficiencies, especially with very large datasets, hence in production scenarios, specifying only the necessary columns is often encouraged.