Electric current has both magnitude and direction it is a .

Options

A. Vector quantity
B. Scalar quantity
C. Tensor quantity
D. None of these

Answer

To solve the question "Electric current has both magnitude and direction. It is a...", we need to analyze the nature of electric current and the types of quantities in physics.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Types of Quantities**:
- **Vector Quantity**: A quantity that has both magnitude and direction. Examples include force, velocity, and displacement.
- **Scalar Quantity**: A quantity that has only magnitude and no direction. Examples include mass, temperature, and energy.
- **Tensor Quantity**: A more complex quantity that has magnitude and direction, but also depends on the plane in which it acts. An example is stress, which can vary in different directions.

2. **Analyzing Electric Current**:
- Electric current is defined as the flow of electric charge. It is measured in amperes (A) and can be described by both its magnitude (how much charge flows) and direction (the direction in which the charge flows).
- However, despite having both magnitude and direction, electric current does not behave like a vector quantity in terms of addition.

3. **Current Addition**:
- When multiple currents flow into a junction, they add up algebraically. For example, if current \(i_1\) flows into a junction and current \(i_2\) flows into the same junction, the total current \(i\) flowing out is given by:
\[ i = i_1 + i_2 \]
- This addition is similar to scalar addition, not vector addition, which would require consideration of direction.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Since electric current has both magnitude and direction but does not follow vector laws of addition, it is classified as a **scalar quantity**.

### Final Answer:
Electric current is a **Scalar Quantity**.