Define a stack data structure.

A stack data structure is indeed defined as a collection of elements that follows the Last In First Out (LIFO) principle. This means that the last element added to the stack is the first one to be removed. Think of it like a stack of plates; you can only take the top plate off the stack, which illustrates the LIFO nature clearly.

When elements are added to a stack, they are pushed onto the top, and when elements are removed, they are popped off from the top as well. This makes stacks particularly useful for scenarios such as function call management in programming, where the most recent call needs to be resolved first, or for undo mechanisms in software applications. The concept of LIFO ensures that the most recently added data is prioritized for removal, which is key to how stacks operate.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe a stack. The FIFO principle applies to queues, where the first element added is the first to be removed. A dynamic array refers to an array that can change in size, and while it can be used to implement a stack, it is not the definition of a stack itself. Lastly, a linear list of nodes could describe a linked list or other data structures but does not inherently capture the