Final answer:
The contact force that slows down a car as it moves through the air is called drag or air resistance. It is caused by air molecules colliding with the car's surface and pushing against it, opposite to its motion. Understanding air resistance is important in fields like aerodynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The contact force that slows down a car as it moves through the air is called drag or air resistance. This force is caused by air molecules colliding with the car's surface and pushing against it in the opposite direction of motion.
For example, when a car is driving at high speeds, the air resistance increases significantly, requiring the car's engine to provide more power to overcome it. On the other hand, when a car is driving at low speeds, the air resistance is relatively low.
Understanding the concept of air resistance is important in fields such as aerodynamics, which deals with the study of how objects move through fluids like air or water.
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