Final answer:
Sudden wind gusts pose a risk to all vehicles on highways, impacting stability, control, and visibility. Wind angles and velocities can significantly affect a vehicle's kinetic energy, and wind-blown dust can lead to environmental disruptions and reduced visibility, as historically seen in large-scale dust storms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sudden wind gusts on highways can indeed be a problem for all vehicles, not just large ones. While larger vehicles like trucks and buses are more susceptible to tipping due to their high profile, wind gusts can also affect the stability and control of smaller vehicles. The kinetic energy of a car being impacted by wind gusts can change depending on the angle and velocity of the wind. For example, a wind blowing horizontally toward a car with an angle of 30 degrees from the direction of travel will exert a force on the car that could alter its speed and direction. Similarly, a wind blowing at a car at 135 degrees from the direction of travel can slow the car down or push it off-course, affecting the kinetic energy negatively.
Furthermore, wind can cause environmental disruptions and visibility issues on highways. Dust and dirt blown around by wind gusts can reduce visibility, making driving conditions dangerous. Moreover, wind-blown dust can have significant environmental impacts, such as the massive dust storms that occurred during the 1930s in the Great Plains, demonstrating the power of wind to cause large-scale soil erosion and ecological damage.