title: Size of list in memory
body: <p>I just experimented with the size of python data structures in memory. I wrote the following snippet:</p>
  
  <pre><code>import sys
  lst1=[]
  lst1.append(1)
  lst2=[1]
  print(sys.getsizeof(lst1), sys.getsizeof(lst2))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I tested the code on the following configurations:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Windows 7 64bit, Python3.1: the output is: <code>52 40</code> so lst1 has 52 bytes and lst2 has 40 bytes.</li>
  <li>Ubuntu 11.4 32bit with Python3.2: output is <code>48 32</code></li>
  <li>Ubuntu 11.4 32bit Python2.7: <code>48 36</code></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Can anyone explain to me why the two sizes differ although both are lists containing a 1?</p>
  
  <p>In the python documentation for the getsizeof function I found the following: <code>...adds an additional garbage collector overhead if the object is managed by the garbage collector.</code> Could this be the case in my little example?</p>