Which of the following is an example of a scalar quantity?

A scalar quantity is defined as a quantity that has only magnitude and does not have a direction associated with it.

In the context of the given choices, 27 kilograms is a perfect illustration of a scalar quantity since it represents mass. Mass is quantified simply by its weight and does not require information about direction to be understood; it is always a positive value that indicates how much matter is contained in an object.

The other choices involve directional components: 40 meters, North refers to a distance along with a direction, while 4 miles, West conveys both a distance and a specific direction. Similarly, 10 meters per second indicates a speed with a direction of travel (though that direction could be specified in a broader context). Because of their inclusion of direction, those options are classified as vector quantities rather than scalars.