What is a null pointer in C?
a) A pointer that does not point to any memory location
b) A pointer that points to a random memory location
c) A pointer that points to the first memory location
d) A pointer that stores the value of zero
Answer:
a) A pointer that does not point to any memory location
Explanation:
A null pointer in C is a pointer that does not point to any valid memory location. It is typically used to indicate that the pointer is not currently assigned to any object or variable. In C, a null pointer is represented by the constant NULL, which is usually defined as ((void*)0). It is important to check if a pointer is null before dereferencing it to avoid undefined behavior or program crashes.
Understanding null pointers is essential for safe pointer operations, error handling, and ensuring that your program does not attempt to access invalid memory.