What does 'conditional statement' mean?

A conditional statement is defined as a block of code that executes only when a specified condition evaluates to true. This allows programmers to create decision-making processes in their code, whereby certain actions are taken only under specific circumstances. For instance, in a music composition program like EarSketch, a conditional statement can be used to play a certain instrument only if a specific musical condition is met, such as a metric beat or a note played by the user.

The other options do not accurately represent the nature of conditional statements. Statements that always execute do not rely on conditions and thus do not fit the definition. Defining constants pertains to assigning fixed values that do not change, which is distinct from conditional logic. Finally, creating loops involves repeating a block of code multiple times, which is also separate from conditionally executing code based on specific criteria.