Need for Speed_P01_Higher

What does it really mean to be fast? How fast or slow an object travels is called speed.  

One way to describe speed is relative, comparing one object to another object in motion. You can run fast, but maybe your older brother is must faster, given his longer legs

A bicycle can be fast, but a motorcycle is definitely faster than a bicycle.

Scientists use numbers to describe speed. They measure the distance an object has traveled and divide it by the time it takes to get to a destination.

For example, a car might travel 60 miles on a highway. It takes the car about an hour to get to the destination. If you divide 60 miles by one hour, the result is 60 miles per hour or 60 mph. By using numbers, you can describe exactly how fast an object is going.

Speed = Distance/Time

So can you think of some objects that travel at high speeds? Of course, a car can travel at high rates of speed. Some cars, like expensive sports cars, can travel at speeds much faster than a family car. Nevertheless, even the most modest of cars have been constructed to safely travel at highway speeds of around 65 miles per hour (65 mph).

The cars used in Stock Car racing can travel over 200 mph! Stock Car racing is a popular sporting event in America. Tens of thousands of fans fill stadiums, while many others watch it on TV, every weekend to cheer on their favorite team and driver. The cars may look like a car you see out on the road, but they are constructed quite differently than the average car on the road.

Underneath the car’s exterior, the mechanical workings have been developed to work harder and much more efficiently.

Engines in stock cars are superior to those in vehicles you travel to school in every day. You will also find none of the comforts found in your parents’ car. Stock cars are built to do one thing: go fast!