Final answer:
Gradual acceleration facilitates smoother gear transitions, reduces engine wear, and can improve fuel efficiency. It is not accurate to say that it wastes gas or damages the engine; rather, abrupt accelerations are more detrimental to a vehicle's components and efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you gradually accelerate a vehicle, several things happen that relate to the car's performance and energy consumption. Option b suggests that gradual acceleration allows the engine to transition gears smoothly. This is correct - smooth acceleration ensures that gear shifts are less abrupt, reducing wear on the engine and transmission components and improving the car's efficiency. It helps the engine and transmission work together in a way that can conserve fuel and extend the life of the car's components.
Gradually accelerating does not necessarily mean you waste gas as implied in option a. A gasoline engine tends to be more efficient and burn less fuel at a slower speed, so gradual acceleration can be more fuel-efficient than rapid acceleration. Finally, option c, which posits that it will damage the engine, is inaccurate. In fact, rapid acceleration is more likely to cause engine and drivetrain wear over time. Accelerating at a more moderate pace can be beneficial to the car's health.