In C, what does `return` do in a function?

In C programming, the return statement serves a key role in functions by providing a value back to the function's caller. When a function is defined to return a value—such as an integer, float, or pointer—using return allows the function to send information back to the code that invoked it. This capability is crucial for enabling functions to perform calculations or operations and subsequently communicate results back to wherever the function was called.

When the return statement is executed, it not only sends the specified value back but also ends the execution of the function at that point. This means that any code that appears after the return statement within that function will not be executed. For instance, if a function is designed to calculate the sum of two numbers and return the result, the value calculated will be sent back to the caller when return is used.

Other options in the question pertain to different aspects of control flow and variable scope but do not accurately reflect the role of return. The option about exiting a loop relates more to control structures like break, while the one about pausing execution suggests a temporary suspension, which is not what return does. Lastly, the declaration of the end of a variable's scope