What function does Sample Process serve in Activity Monitor?

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Sample Process in Activity Monitor provides a snapshot report of a selected process over a duration of three seconds. This functionality is useful for analyzing the behavior of a specific application or process, particularly when investigating issues such as performance bottlenecks or system resource consumption.

By sampling a process, users can gain insights into its CPU usage patterns, memory allocation, and other metrics during that short time frame. This data can be instrumental in troubleshooting problems or optimizing performance, as it captures the process's activity in a manageable and concise manner.

The other options address different functionalities of Activity Monitor, such as real-time process representation, CPU usage display for all processes, and the ability to terminate unresponsive applications, but they do not pertain to the specific purpose of the Sample Process feature. Understanding these distinctions enhances one's ability to effectively utilize Activity Monitor's capabilities for system maintenance and troubleshooting.