How Does F=ma Explain Engine Power and Weight in Racing Cars?

[roxas]

explain the following in f=ma
a)a racing car has a powerful engine and is made of storng but light weight material

b)a car with a small engine can still accelerate rapidly

please help me i need model answers thanks soooooo much

 

[Danger]

Welcome to PF, Roxas. In any vehicle, your acceleration depends upon 3 factors primarily. One is the power-to-weight ratio, the second is how effectively that power is applied to the road, and the third is aerodynamic drag on the vehicle. For engines built to the same specifications, a bigger one will always have more power than a little one. You will also have better acceleration from a rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive than you will from a backwards car because of weight transfer to the drive wheels.

 

[roxas]

my homework question says it has to be explained in f=ma, like how am i supposed to do that??

 

[Danger]

Well, to start with, homework questions don't belong here. This should be posted in the homework section of the forum. Secondly, I'm a practical guy, not a mathematical one, so I can't answer you in those terms. Third, whining won't help. Good luck with it, though.

 

[roxas]

i forgot...thats why i apologised to the mods in the second post

 

[Danger]

No prob. I got to get back to bed now; I was just up for a midnight snack and the wife has noticed my absence. Catch you later.

 

[roxas]

H3LP ME! MY L1F3 SUX I AM 3M0 PL3AS3 TE11 M3 THE AN5W3R T0 THAT QU35T10N PL3AS3 PL3ASE ANIB0DY PLEASE! . THX =) my exam is next week=(

 

[rsk]

OK, in terms of F=ma, acc depends of Force and mass

a = F/m

So a big heavy engine which can provide a large driving force, might also have a large mass, which would lmit the acceleration.

the smaller lighter engine, although it can't provide the same force, doesn't have the mass either so can still produce a reasonable acceleration. It's the ratio between the force and mass you need to think about for acceleration

 

[roxas]

edit: my sos message was posted at the same time as yours. thanks soo much

 

[rsk]

stop panicking. Read and think.

 

[roxas]

edit: oops my com crapped up and i accidentally double posted .

 

[Danger]

And please, please don't ever post in whatever that style was again. It's incredibly irritating. Proper English (or as close as one can get to it if it's not his/her first language) is the acceptable form here. This is not a scolding... just pointing something out.