CLIL

Science and Technology 2

The key to performance

A Anyone who has watched a Formula 1 (F1) race will know that these cars achieve
amazing speeds – 1accelerating from 0 to 160 kilometres per hour (kph) in under
five seconds – go around corners as if they are fixed to the road and, despite their
tendency to break into pieces when crashing, are extremely safe. Of course, all of
this is due to the millions of dollars spent on the design and production of these
cars. F1 cars combine the latest technology in fields such as electronics,
mechanics and 2aerodynamics.

B Aerodynamics is probably the most important aspect of F1 cars. It enables the

cars to reach the speeds they do and also creates the downforce that helps the
cars to stay on the road. For example, the front wing affects the 3airflow and any
changes to this airflow can have an enormous effect on the performance of the
car. At the other end of the car is the rear wing, which helps keep the rear wheels
on the road but also increases 4drag, which slows the car down. Finally,
underneath the car is the diffuser – this section ensures that the air that flows
underneath the car exits as quickly as possible. The faster this happens, the more
downforce the car generates and the faster it can go.

C The mechanical side of an F1 car is also crucial. Each part of the car is made from
the most advanced materials possible to try to ensure the best performance all the
time. The body of the car is made from ultra-light materials such as carbon fibre.
The engine weighs around 100kg, about half the weight of a normal car engine,
but produces about eight times as much power! The brakes on an F1 car are
extremely powerful, as they need to be able to slow the car down from speeds of
around 240kph to 70kph in about two seconds. Such 5deceleration puts lots of
pressure on the brakes as they reach temperatures of up to 1,300°C.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd, 2010

D The electronics on an F1 car use the most up-to-date technology and are
controlled by computers. These computer systems monitor everything on the car,
including traction control. This prevents loss of grip on the road when accelerating
and stops the wheels from spinning around. In recent years traction control has
been banned in F1 racing, as some people think it helps the drivers too much so
they don’t need to be as skilful as before.

1 Choose the best answer according to the text.

1 Millions of dollars are spent on F1 cars …

a to ensure they reach the speed of 160 kph in five seconds.
b because they use the latest technology.
c so they can’t go off the road.
d as they have to be unbreakable.

2 Aerodynamics …
a is a design feature to make the cars look good.
b helps in reaching high speeds and slowing down.
c plays a major role in the car’s performance.
d is the airflow underneath the car.

3 The computer systems on F1 cars can …

a be operated remotely.
b be switched off if the driver is skilful.
c help keep the car firmly on the road.
d prevent traction control.

4 In F1 racing, traction control …

a is no longer used.
b helps drivers control the car.
c is used by skilful drivers.
d improves acceleration.

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd, 2010

2 Match words 1–5 in the text to definitions a–e.

___ a force that slows something down when it moves through air

___ b the movement of air around a vehicle

___ c the science of how objects move through the air

___ d a decrease in speed

___ e moving faster

3 Find words in the text that mean the same as …

1 the science and technology that uses or produces electronic equipment.

_________________

2 air pressure pushing down on a vehicle at high speed. _________________

3 that weighs very little. _________________

4 the ability of wheels to move over a surface without slipping.

_________________

5 strong hold to a surface to avoid slipping. _________________

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd, 2010