Ontario Grade 9 Science Class Practice Exam 2026 – Your Complete Guide to Exam Success!

Speed and velocity are both measures of how fast an object is moving, but they are distinguished by the inclusion of direction in velocity. Speed is a scalar quantity, which means it only measures the magnitude of movement—specifically, the distance traveled over time—without any regard for direction. For example, if a car travels 60 kilometers in one hour, its speed is 60 km/h, but it does not indicate the direction in which the car is moving.

On the other hand, velocity is a vector quantity. This means it not only has a magnitude (how fast the object is moving) but also a direction. For instance, if that same car is traveling north at 60 km/h, its velocity would be described as 60 km/h north. This directional component is what distinguishes velocity from speed.

In essence, velocity provides more detailed information about an object's motion by combining how fast and in what direction it is moving, making option B the correct choice.