Final answer:
If a car loses its headlights, the driver should stop and use emergency flashers. Superconducting wires in a car would prevent headlights from dimming during engine start, minus effects due to battery's internal resistance. In AC/DC light experiments, car headlights, which use DC power, don't flicker like AC-powered fluorescent lights.
Step-by-step explanation:
If your car loses its headlights, it is recommended that you safely pull over and stop your vehicle, as driving without headlights is dangerous and typically illegal, particularly at night or during poor visibility conditions. In case of headlight failure, utilize your vehicle's emergency flashers to alert other drivers. Seek professional assistance or use the car's backup lights if it's safe to continue driving to a nearby service location.
Addressing the experimental question regarding whether your headlights dim when you start your car's engine if the wires were superconductors, the answer is no, they likely would not dim. Normally, headlights may dim due to the additional current draw when starting the engine, causing a voltage drop across the wires' resistance. However, superconductors have no electrical resistance, so there would be no voltage drop due to the wires, though the battery's internal resistance could still cause some dimming.
Performing a take-home experiment waving your hand between your face and a fluorescent bulb compared to car headlights showcases the difference in lighting technology. A fluorescent bulb may show a flickering effect due to AC power, while car headlights typically use DC power and will not exhibit this same flickering when observed in the same manner.
Regarding the battery life of headlights left on, we can use the power rating of the bulbs and the battery capacity to estimate the duration they will last. Two 12-V headlights each rated at 40 W would consume 80 W together. The battery is rated at 100 Ah, and since Power (W) = Voltage (V) x Current (A), the headlights would draw ≈ 6.67 A from a 12-V battery. Therefore, the battery would last for approximately 100 Ah / 6.67 A = 15 hours.