Which tool should a GIS analyst use to extract data from a feature class without altering coordinates or attributes?

Using the Clip tool is the appropriate choice for extracting data from a feature class without altering the coordinates or attributes. The Clip tool allows users to create a new feature class based on the geometric boundaries of another feature class. When using this tool, the input features are "clipped" by the features of the clip layer, resulting in a subset of the original data that retains all essential characteristics, attributes, and coordinates of the input features. This means that the original data remains unaltered, and a new dataset with only the selected features is produced.

In contrast, other options, like Identity, Union, and Update, perform spatial operations that either merge datasets or modify the attributes and geometries of the input features, thereby not aligning with the requirement of maintaining original coordinates and attributes. The Identity tool combines features from two datasets but can alter geometries and create complex attributes based on the input features' interaction. Similarly, the Union tool performs a spatial overlay that can generate new geometrical shapes resulting in changes to both the geometry and attributes. The Update tool modifies existing features in the dataset, directly altering their attributes or geometries based on the input dataset.

Thus, the Clip tool is uniquely suited for the task of extraction while ensuring data integrity for the original