Final answer:
Without explicit sequencing in a database query, rows are returned in an undefined or random order, with no guarantees of consistency unless an ORDER BY clause is used.When sequencing (sorting) of rows is not included in a database query, the rows returned by the query are in random order.
Step-by-step explanation:
When sequencing (sorting) of rows is not included in a database query, the rows returned by the query are in undefined order. However, the term often used to describe the order of rows when no specific ordering is requested is random order; although it is not technically random in the purest sense. Database systems do not guarantee any particular order unless an ORDER BY clause is specified. It is worth noting that in practice, rows might appear to be in the order in which they were inserted into the database, but this is not guaranteed and can vary with different queries or changes to the database. Without explicit sorting, the order in which rows are returned should not be relied upon for consistency.
When sequencing (sorting) of rows is not included in a database query, the rows returned by the query are typically in an **unspecified or undefined order. In other words, the database engine does not guarantee any specific order for the result set when sorting criteria are not specified in the query.So, none of the options (random, alphabetical, numerical, or chronological) can be reliably assumed in the absence of an explicit sorting instruction. The order in which rows are retrieved might seem arbitrary and can vary based on factors such as the database engine's internal implementation, indexing, or the physical storage of data. It's essential to include an explicit sorting clause in the query if a specific order is required for the result set.