What is power? (article) | Work and energy

13 May.,2024

 

What is power? (article) | Work and energy

1. Exponential Power Requirements: As a car accelerates, the power needed to go faster increases exponentially. To double a car's top speed, its engine must be eight times as powerful. Aerodynamic lift over the car's body also escalates exponentially. Simultaneously, the traction of the tyres must improve to deliver the higher power required to the road. Consequently, cars capable of extreme speeds are significantly more expensive, and only a select few can afford them.

2. Tyre Limitations: Designing tyres capable of speeds over 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour) is both difficult and expensive. Even tyres designed for such speeds need to be in pristine condition to operate safely. After a few weeks of normal use, they might not be safe at high speeds.

3. Human Reaction Time: At high speeds, human reaction times become critical. When travelling at 300 kilometres per hour, you cover more than 80 meters per second. Reacting to anything 100 meters ahead, such as debris on the road, becomes nearly impossible due to varying human reaction times.

4. Aerodynamic Limits: A powerful car, unrestricted by an onboard computer, eventually reaches a speed where it can't compress any more wind in front of itself. This compression increases with the square of speed, requiring exponentially more energy to overcome. Additionally, drag at the rear of the car from the induced vacuum becomes significant. Spoilers and air dams are used to increase downward force and prevent the car from trying to fly as wind speed under the vehicle increases.

5. Safety and Practicality: Speed limits exist primarily for safety. Unrestricted high speeds would make roadways significantly more dangerous. Cars become aerodynamically unstable due to wind resistance at extreme speeds, making them harder to handle. Running an engine at maximum speed constantly reduces its lifespan and puts additional strain on the car. Beyond physics, practical considerations like tyre safety, driver reaction times, and road conditions play a crucial role.

In summary, while there's no fundamental reason why a road car couldn't go faster, practical limitations and safety concerns keep them well below infinity. 🚗

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