What does a database primarily consist of?

A database is primarily composed of tables and relationships, which serves as the foundational structure for data organization and interaction. Tables are the core components where data is stored in a structured format, consisting of rows and columns. Each table corresponds to different data subjects or entities, while rows represent the individual records of data entries and columns represent the attributes of that data.

Relationships are crucial in a database as they define how different tables interact with one another. This relational aspect allows for data normalization, reducing redundancy, and ensuring data integrity. In relational databases, these relationships can be defined through primary keys and foreign keys, which link tables together in a meaningful way.

The other options, while relevant to aspects of database operation and design, do not encapsulate the primary composition of a database as accurately as tables and relationships. Rows and attributes focus too much on the individual components of tables without capturing their organizational context. Records and entities discuss more of the data contained within the tables and the types of data modeled but miss the structural aspect that tables and relationships entail. Functions and queries pertain to operations performed on databases but do not represent the foundational elements of what makes up a database itself.