Final answer:
A balloon car with a smaller mass travels a distance more quickly because it will have a greater acceleration when the same force is applied, due to Newton's second law of motion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason a balloon car with a smaller mass can travel a distance more quickly is due to the basic principles of physics, specifically Newton's second law of motion. This law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting upon it and inversely proportional to its mass. Therefore, a car with less mass will accelerate more quickly when the same amount of force is applied compared to a car with more mass. This higher acceleration results in reaching the finish line faster.
In the context of hot air balloons, their ability to move smoothly in the air is related to the buoyant force generated by the hot air inside the balloon being less dense than the surrounding cool air. When the air is heated, the pressure inside the balloon increases due to the faster motion of the air molecules, which expands the balloon. As it expands, it displaces a larger volume of air, leading to a buoyant force that allows the balloon to rise.