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Scalar quantities are defined as quantities that have only magnitude and no direction. Therefore, the correct description of scalar quantities includes aspects such as speed, mass, temperature, and distance. These qualities can be quantified with a specific numeric value but do not involve directional components, which differentiates them from vector quantities that encompass both magnitude and direction.

The assertion that scalar quantities include only speed and mass aligns with the fundamental principles of scalar measurements, as both of these examples are indeed scalars. Speed is a measure of how fast an object is moving regardless of its direction, while mass is the amount of matter in an object, which similarly lacks a directional component.

Understanding that scalar quantities can be exclusively positive is not a defining characteristic, since some scalar quantities, like temperature in certain contexts, can be negative. Furthermore, items like force and displacement are indeed vector quantities, as they require directional information to fully describe their nature. The clarity of the distinction between these two types of quantities is critical in the study of physics and related fields.