Question

what is the meaning of magnitude ?

Answer 1

A Vector is something that has two and only two defining characteristics.

• Magnitude: the meaning of magnitude is 'size' or 'quantity'
• Direction: the meaning of direction is quite self-explanatory. It simply means that the vector is directed from one place to another.

A "physical quantity" is defined as any property of a system which affects the activity of a device and hence by observing this device's activity (which may be rotation of a needle, generation of an electric pulse, expansion of a fluid in a column etc.) and with knowledge of the relation between the variation of this property and how it affects the activity in consideration, we can numerically quantify the "ability of the property to affect the device". This numerical value is called " magnitude"
For example, the effort needed to accelerate a 1 kg mass at a rate of 1 m/s velocity change every second is quantified as 1 newton. Based on this, if the same acceleration is generated in another mass of 'x' kg, it can be concluded that the effort needed will be 'x' times and hence gets quantified as 'x' newton. In this case, the magnitude of the force will be 'x'.