Energy From A Moving Car?

Question

So let's say a car is moving and eventually stops beacuse of the force of friction acting upon it. Where does the energy from the car go?

Answer 1

First, if the car is in neutral and no drive forces are propelling the car, the sum total of forces acting on the car are all pushing in the direction opposite to its direction of travel. Thus, all the forces, not just friction serve to slow the car down to an eventual stop.

Certainly friction between the tires and the road is an important decelerating force. But there's also air drag forces, which vary according to the square of the relative wind velocity over the car. There might also be some horizontal force of gravity if the car is not on a level plane. (In fact, if the car is on a downhill slope, the horizontal vector fo the force of gravity could actually accelerate the car.) Then there is energy lost in the friction of all the moving parts in a car. They sap energy as well.

The so-called conservation of energy law says that energy can be neither created nor destroyed. But energy can be and will be converted from one form of energy to another. So, as the car slows down, that kinetic energy is being converted to heat energy by the friction and drag. If the car were coasting uphill, some of that kinetic energy could be converted to potential energy as well.

Answer 2

energy is not lost, thats important, it is transfered, the cars engine for example transfers chemical energy to mechanical energy, heat and others, the car slows down owing to opposing forces, acording to newtons third law 'every reaction [force] has an equal and oppersite reaction' so the sum of the force of the force acting on the car is equal to its opposing forces, IE air resistance, friction and others this, if no force is acting on the car to overcome these opposing forces (remember force means energy is involved somehow) then they must reach an equalibrium (a point at which they are balanced) and at only to times does this occar, when an object is stationary as per your example, or when it has reached its terminal velocity, but the engery is as i say transfered to things like heat engergy, friction as you mention, that takes energy as i said, some of that is heat, air resitance helps slow it down that is kinetic or movement energy as the air is forced to move, there are a lot of them

Answer 3

The energy is lost as heat (in both the air and the pavement), as well as some to sound waves and blowing air that are a result of the car's movement.

Answer 4

I would imagine the energy becomes heat from the friction, like when you rub your hands together. some energy may become sound if you can hear the car as it is slowing down.

Answer 5

in form of heat from the brake shoes. The braks shoes get hot and then they dessipate this heat to air.