What happens to local variables when the parent function finishes execution?

When the parent function finishes execution, local variables that were defined within that function are cleared from memory. This is a fundamental concept in programming related to variable scope and lifetime. Local variables are allocated on the stack when a function is called, and they are scoped to that specific function. When the function ends, the stack frame associated with that function is deleted, which effectively means that any local variables declared within that function are no longer accessible and their memory is made available for other processes.

This behavior ensures that local variables do not retain their values or state once the function has completed, preventing potential memory leaks and unintended interference between function calls. Only global variables or static variables can persist beyond the lifespan of a function, which is not applicable in this case since the question specifically addresses local variables. The other options imply persistence or reuse of local variables after function execution, which contradicts the defined behavior of local variable memory management in most programming languages.