Final answer:
Distance is a scalar quantity indicating how much ground has been covered without regard to direction, therefore correct answer is option b.
Step-by-step explanation:
The measurement of the amount something has traveled with no regard to direction is called distance. Distance is a scalar quantity, which means it has only magnitude and no direction. In contrast, displacement is a vector quantity because it represents the change in position of an object and includes both magnitude and a specific direction.
For example:
a. The distance you have walked might be '5 kilometers', which only tells you how much ground you have covered.
b. Your final displacement could be '3 kilometers northeast', indicating both the magnitude of the change in your position and the direction from your starting point.
c. Displacement is a vector quantity because, unlike distance, it is defined by both its size (magnitude) and its direction. The difference is crucial in physics, where understanding the motion of objects often depends on their vector properties.