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Which of the following is a vector quantity?
Velocity
Distance
Speed
Mass
Velocity
A vector quantity is a physical quantity that requires both magnitude and direction to be fully defined. Velocity represents the rate of change of displacement, making it a vector, whereas the other options lack directional components.
A vector quantity is a physical quantity that requires both magnitude and direction to be fully defined. Velocity represents the rate of change of displacement, making it a vector, whereas the other options lack directional components.
In the SI system of units, vector quantities follow the parallelogram law of vector addition, a concept foundational to the mechanics studied in Physics under the NCERT curriculum.
Scalar quantities possess only magnitude (e.g., Mass, Distance, Speed).
Vector quantities possess both magnitude and direction (e.g., Velocity, Displacement, Force, Acceleration).
Velocity is defined as the displacement of an object per unit time.
Distance is a scalar quantity representing the total path length traveled regardless of direction.
Speed is a scalar quantity defined as the rate of change of distance, which ignores direction.
Mass is a scalar quantity representing the amount of matter in a body, independent of its location or motion.
Option B, C, and D are scalar quantities because they can be described by a numerical value and unit without specifying a direction.
A is correct тАФ Velocity is a vector quantity because it specifies both the speed of an object and the direction in which it is moving.
Always remember that whenever a quantity is defined by a change in 'position' or 'displacement', it is almost certainly a vector; when defined by 'total path' or 'time', it is a scalar.