A vector is a physical quantity that has:

• A. Magnitude but no direction
• B. Direction but no magnitude
• C. Magnitude (size) as well as direction
• D. Neither magnitude nor direction

Answer: (C)

A vector is a physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction. The magnitude is how much there is, the size or amount, while the direction tells where it points in space. This combination is what makes a vector different from a scalar, which has only magnitude (for example, distance is a scalar). Examples like velocity, force, and displacement all include both how much and which way. So the statement that a vector has magnitude as well as direction best captures what defines a vector. The other descriptions either describe only magnitude (a scalar) or fail to specify a quantity with both size and direction.