Western Governors University (WGU) ICSC2211 D684 Introduction to Computer Science Practice Test

The algorithm that swaps adjacent values and ends each pass at one end of the list is known as Bubble Sort. This sorting technique works by repeatedly stepping through the list to be sorted, comparing adjacent elements and swapping them if they are in the wrong order. The process is repeated until no swaps are needed, indicating that the list is sorted.

In a typical implementation of Bubble Sort, after each full pass through the array, the largest unsorted element "bubbles up" to its correct position at the end of the list. This is why the algorithm is called Bubble Sort; similar to how bubbles rise to the surface of a liquid. The operation continues until the entire list is sorted, which may take several passes, especially if the list is initially in reverse order.

Other sorting algorithms, like Selection Sort and Insertion Sort, have different mechanisms for how they rearrange elements in the list and do not involve adjacent swaps in the same way. Merge Sort, on the other hand, uses a divide-and-conquer approach that does not focus on adjacent elements or passes in the same manner. Thus, the unique characteristic of Bubble Sort being defined by its method of adjacent swaps makes it the correct answer to the question.