Final answer:
Gravity has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity. The magnitude of acceleration due to gravity is labeled as 'g' with a value of approximately 9.8 m/s^2. Weight, influenced by gravity, is also vector because it has magnitude and direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Since gravity has both magnitude (-10 m/s2) and direction (down), it is a vector quantity. This is because vector quantities are defined by having both a magnitude and a direction. The magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity is commonly represented by the symbol g and has an average value of 9.8 m/s2. However, the value can vary slightly based on geographic location, including latitude and altitude. In kinematic equations, whether acceleration due to gravity is represented as positive or negative depends on the choice of coordinate system; typically, up is positive and down is negative resulting in g being represented as -9.8 m/s2 when pointing down.
Gravitational force, or weight, is also a vector because it has both magnitude and a downward direction. It's important to understand that weights are influenced by gravity and therefore have a direction (downwards), making them vector quantities as well. In the context of motion, one-dimensional motion involving gravity is considered when analyzing objects in free fall without air resistance, which simplifies the situation to motion with constant acceleration g.