To increase a car's acceleration, engineers should consider the following changes:
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Increase the force that the engine provides: This can be achieved by enhancing the engine's power output, such as through better combustion, turbocharging, or a larger engine displacement. More force directly translates to better acceleration, according to Newton's second law \( F = ma \) (force equals mass times acceleration).
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Decrease the mass of the car: A lighter car would require less force to accelerate, which can lead to better acceleration performance. Engineers could use lighter materials or remove unnecessary components to reduce weight.
The other options would not contribute to better acceleration:
- Decrease the force that the engine provides: This would reduce the car's ability to accelerate.
- Increase the mass of the car: More mass would require more force to achieve the same acceleration, thus negatively impacting performance.
- Increase the top velocity the car can travel: While it might improve the max speed, it won't necessarily affect how quickly the car can accelerate.
- Decrease the top velocity the car can travel: This could limit performance and does not relate to improving acceleration.
In summary, the two primary changes to consider are increasing the force produced by the engine and decreasing the mass of the car.
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