Final answer:
A car racing down a higher ramp will have greater potential energy that converts into kinetic energy, allowing it to travel a greater distance due to increased speed from the higher starting point.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the question of whether a car racing down a ramp will travel a shorter or greater distance if we raise the ramp's height, we are dealing with the principles of energy conservation and motion in the realm of physics. If a car races down a higher ramp, the potential energy at the top of the ramp is greater because potential energy is directly proportional to height (potential energy = mass * gravity * height). When the car starts to move, this potential energy converts to kinetic energy, which increases the speed of the car due to the influence of gravity. Hence, a car descending from a higher ramp should, in theory, have more kinetic energy, allowing it to travel a greater distance when it reaches the bottom, assuming there's no significant increase in friction or air resistance.
This energy conversion occurs regardless of whether the car goes over the top at faster than this speed or slower than this speed, with the critical factor being the actual height from which the car descends. The higher initial potential energy translates into greater kinetic energy, thus enabling the vehicle to cover a longer distance.