What is the main function of the Intersect tool in GIS?

The main function of the Intersect tool in GIS is to create a new feature class that consists solely of the overlapping areas between two or more feature classes. When the Intersect tool is applied, it identifies where the geometries of the input features overlap and generates a new output that includes only those common areas.

This is particularly useful for spatial analysis where understanding the relationships between different geographic features is critical. For example, if you intersect a land use layer with a zoning layer, the output will highlight only those areas that share both land use and zoning characteristics, allowing users to analyze how these features interact.

The other options do not accurately describe the functionality of the Intersect tool. For instance, combining all features and outputting all data does not represent the selective nature of the Intersect tool. Similarly, only outputting distinct features from both classes or eliminating duplicates does not capture the essence of identifying overlapping spatial areas.