Final answer:
The scalar quantity from the list is D. Distance, which has magnitude but no direction, while all other options listed are vector quantities, having both magnitude and direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks which one of the listed options is a scalar quantity. A scalar quantity is defined by having only magnitude and not involving any direction. The correct answer from the given options is D. Distance, as it represents the total length of the path traveled by an object irrespective of its direction. All other options listed, such as velocity, force, acceleration, displacement, momentum, torque, and electric field strength are vector quantities because they possess both magnitude and direction.
For instance, force is a vector quantity (correct answer to question 3 is option 'b') because it has both magnitude and the direction in which the force is applied. In contrast, distance is a measure of how much ground an object has covered during its motion and does not require specifying a direction.
The distinction between scalar and vector quantities is essential in physics, as it determines how various quantities interact with each other and how they can be represented and calculated in physical equations.