What does the <img> tag do in HTML?

The tag in HTML is specifically designed to embed images into a web page. When you use this tag, you can display images in various formats such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF, allowing for visual content to enhance the overall user experience of the web page. This tag requires at least one attribute, the 'src' attribute, which specifies the path to the image file. Additionally, including an 'alt' attribute is a best practice, as it provides a text alternative for the image, improving accessibility and SEO.

The tag does not create hyperlinks, define tables, or include scripts, which clarifies why the other options do not represent the function of the tag. By focusing on embedding images, this tag plays a crucial role in web design, enabling the seamless integration of graphical content.