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Which description of force is correct?
AA push or pull with magnitude and direction
BA scalar measuring how fast a body moves
CA vector with magnitude but no direction
DA scalar equal to the mass of a body
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. A push or pull with magnitude and direction
1. A force is a push or a pull on an object with a specific magnitude and direction.
2. Because it has both magnitude and direction it is a vector quantity.
3. Forces add head to tail like other vectors, so a total force can be found graphically.
4. Any option that calls force a scalar contradicts the way forces add.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 "Dynamics: Force and Newton's Laws of Motion", section 4.1 Development of Force Concept_
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