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Lesson: Chapter 4 — Newton's Laws of Motion

4.3. Mass and weight 2 of 9

Question 2

How are mass and weight classified as scalar and vector quantities?

The right answer is the one marked above.

Mass is scalar; weight is vector. Stating a mass needs a magnitude only — "5 kilograms" is a complete description.

Weight is a force, and a force has a direction — always towards the centre of the earth. So weight is a vector quantity.

An easy way to remember: if weight is a force, and force is a vector, then weight must be a vector too.

Answer the question to continue.