Final answer:
Fossil fuels are sources of stored solar energy that, when burned in a car engine, undergo a transformation from chemical energy to thermal, then mechanical, and finally kinetic energy, in accordance with the law of conservation of energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are energy sources with a high hydrocarbon content that have formed in the Earth's crust from the anaerobic decomposition of dead plants and animals over millions of years. The transformation process involved in the formation of these fuels includes the conversion of the energy from sunlight into vegetation, followed by chemical changes due to high pressures and temperatures over geological times without oxygen.
When a car burns fossil fuels to accelerate, the correct energy transformation flow chart would show the following sequence: chemical energy from the fuel is first transformed into thermal energy due to combustion. Then, this thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy by the engine, which ultimately leads to kinetic energy as the car accelerates.
According to the law of conservation of energy, energy is never lost but merely changed from one form to another. This is evident in the process of fossil fuel combustion in car engines, where the ancient solar energy stored in these fuels is released and transformed to power the vehicle.