* Magnitude and Direction: Velocity describes both the *speed* (how fast something is moving) and the *direction* of motion. For example, "50 miles per hour east" is a velocity, specifying both speed and direction.

* Vector Representation: Vectors are mathematical objects that have both magnitude and direction. They are often represented by arrows where the length of the arrow represents the magnitude and the arrow's direction indicates the direction of the vector.

* Vector Operations: Vectors follow specific rules for addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Velocity vectors can be added together to determine a resultant velocity (like the velocity of a boat moving with the current).

In contrast:

* Speed is a scalar quantity. It only describes the magnitude (how fast) and not the direction. For example, "50 miles per hour" is a speed.

In summary, velocity is a vector quantity because it has both magnitude (speed) and direction.