5. Which of the following statements is true about the forces acting on an object in a free-body diagram? The forces are vectors because they have only direction. The forces are scalar because they have only magnitude. The forces are vectors because they have both direction and magnitude The forces are scalar because they have both direction and magnitude

The correct answer is: The forces are vectors because they have both direction and magnitude.<br /><br />In a free-body diagram, the forces acting on an object are represented as vectors because they have both magnitude and direction. Magnitude refers to the size or strength of the force, while direction indicates the orientation or the line along which the force is applied. Forces are not scalar quantities because they cannot be described solely by their magnitude without considering their direction.