Vehicle stopping distance

Question 1

What is the stopping distance?

Answer 1

The point from when the driver first see’s the obstruction to when the car stops

Question 2

What is the stopping distance made up of?

Answer 2

Thinking distance and breaking distance

Question 3

What is the thinking distance?

Answer 3

The distance the car travels from when the driver see’s the obstruction, makes a decision and moves their foot to the brake

Question 4

What is the braking distance?

Answer 4

The distance the car travels from when the driver breaks to when the car stops

Question 5

What happens if the speed of the vehicle is high?

Answer 5

The stopping distance increases

Question 6

What affects thinking distance?

Answer 6

Speed and Reaction time (Tiredness, Alcohol, Drugs, Distractions in the car)

Question 7

What effects braking distance?

Answer 7

Speed
Weather
Condition of the tyres
Condition of the brakes

Question 8

How is energy transferred when you brake?

Answer 8

From the kinetic energy store to the thermal energy store

Question 9

What happens to the kinetic energy needed to stop the car if the speed doubles?

Answer 9

The kinetic energy increases by 4 fold so work done increases force fold so the braking distance increases 4 fold