MODERN CARS
All modern cars, from the smallest urban car to the fastest racing cars, have similar basic features. Wheels and suspension allow the car to roll smoothly along the road. Tyres on the wheels grip the road surface, allowing the car to accelerate, brake and corner without sliding.
Power from the engine is transferred to the wheels by the transmission, including the gears. The fuel and exhaust systems supply fuel to the engine and carry away waste gases. The electrical system supplies electricity to the engine’s spark plugs, the car’s lights and other electrical gadgets.
A stretch limousine is a chauffeur-driven luxury car used for special occasions such as weddings. Inside are large, comfortable seats, where passengers can enjoy drinks from a bar and even watch television.
All the car’s parts are supported by a rigid body shell, which also protects the driver and passengers. Modern cars have many advanced features which make them more efficient, and easier and safer to drive. These include computerized engine-management systems which control the flow of fuel to the engine, navigation computers which give the driver directions, anti-lock brakes which prevent skidding, and air bags which protect the driver in an accident. Many of these features were originally developed to improve the performance of racing cars, but have become standard on road cars.
AERODYNAMICS
The way air flows around a moving body is called aerodynamics. As cars move along, the air flowing around them tries to slow them down. The effect is called drag, and it prevents cars from continuing to speed up. The more streamlined the shape of a car, the lower the drag on it, and so the faster its top speed. Racing cars have special aerodynamic features, such as wings that create down-force. These force a car’s tyres on to the road, increasing grip and allowing the car to corner more quickly without skidding sideways.
Aerodynamics are especially important in very high-speed cars, such as Thrust SSC, which holds the land-speed record of 1227.723 km/h. It is the only car to have gone faster than sound.
All road vehicles have similar features to cars, but the features are often specialized. For example, large haulage trucks have many wheels to spread their heavy load. Off-road vehicles, such as dumper trucks, have large wheels with chunky tyres for good grip in the mud. Road-rollers have solid steel wheels.
Picture Credit : Google