MOVEMENT AND

CHANGE
Stopping Distances
Lesson Aims
Consolidate understanding of how to interpret
speed-time graphs.

Understand what makes up the stopping
distance of a vehicle.

Know the factors that affect stopping
distances
HOMEWORK

Make sure your homework booklet is inside
your exercise book. If you have not stuck it in
your book write your name on it!
Speed Time Graphs
To show your understanding of this topic:

Answer question number 1 & 2 off page 131
of Physics text book
It should take you about 13 minutes to do this
including the time taken to draw a graph
Stopping distance



Stopping distances
Accidents on motorways often involve
vehicles of great mass travelling at large
speeds.
The forces involved when these vehicles
suddenly stop are enormous.
Stopping distances
Compare the following vehicles.
A car travelling at 25 m/s
An identical car travelling at 35 m /s
A coach travelling at 20 m / s

Which will be the hardest to stop?
Which will need the largest force to stop?
Stopping safety
Speed Thinking
distance
Braking
distance
Overall
stopping
distance
30 mph 30 ft 45 ft 75 ft
50 mph 50 ft 125 ft 175 ft
70 mph 70 ft 245 ft 315 ft
Stopping safety
Thinking distance

There is always a short time between our
eyes seeing that something has to be done
and our brains actually moving our muscles.
This time is called the reaction time
For a healthy person this is usually about half
a second (it is less for younger people and
longer for older people).

The thinking distance is how long a car will
travel during a drivers reaction time.

The faster a car is travelling, the greater the
thinking distance.
Stopping distances
What factors do you think determine how
long it takes a car to stop?

The mass of the vehicle
The speed of the vehicle
The drivers reaction time
Stopping distances
The greater the mass of a vehicle, the longer
its stopping distance.

The greater the speed of the vehicle, the
longer its stopping distance.

The longer the drivers reaction time, the
longer its stopping distance
Question time!
Your teacher will now give you a sheet with
some information and questions on.

Stick this sheet in your exercise books and
answer the questions.

This task should be completed as part of
your next homework.