Which of the following quantities can be described by their magnitude and direction?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Begin with a quick skim of what the question is asking: which quantities are described by both a magnitude and a direction.
Option a (time): Time is a scalar quantity; it has magnitude (how long) but no inherent direction in space, so it does not fit the description that requires direction.
Option b (speed): Speed is the rate of motion, i.e., how fast something is moving, and it is a scalar quantity. It has only magnitude, with no directional component, so it fails the magnitude-and-direction criterion.
Option c (energy): Energy is a scalar that measures stamina or capacity to do work; it has magnitude but no direction in space, so it is not described by both quantity types.
Option d (acceleration): Acceleration is a vector quantity defined as the rate of change of velocity. It possesses both a magnitude and a direction (the direction of the velocity change), satisfying the requirement. This makes acceleration the only option that inherently includes direction alongside magnitude.
Option e (mass): Mass is a scalar quantity representing the amount of matter in an object; it has magnitude only and no directional component, so it does not meet the magnitude-and-direction condition.
In summary, options a, b, c, and e describe quantities that lack direction (they are scalar), while option d uniquely describes a vector quantity with both magnitude and direction, aligning with the concept of vector description.

Which of the following quantities can be described by their magnitude and direction?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

A vector A has components Ax=3A_x = 3 and Ay=4A_y = 4. How can you determine its magnitude and direction?

Which of these quantities is a vector? (See "Vectors")

Linear displacement is a vector, which is characterised by a magnitude and Answer Question 7[input]. NOTE: This question requires one (1) word and spelling must be correct. Please double check spelling.