OCR (A) specifications: 5.1.6a,b,c,d; 5.1.

7a,b,c,d

Chapter 7
Forces, vehicles and safety
Worksheet
Worked examples
Practical: Investigating friction
End-of-chapter test
Marking scheme: Worksheet
Marking scheme: End-of-chapter test

Worksheet
Intermediate level
1
2

A car is travelling along a straight road at a constant speed. Write a word

equation for the speed of the car, the driving force and the motive power.
A truck is travelling at a speed of 25 m s . The driving force for the truck is 7.0 kN.
a
b

4
5
6

[1]

Calculate the work done by the driving force in a time of 1.0 s.

[2]

What is the motive power for the truck travelling at 25 m s ?

[1]

The engines of an aircraft provide a motive force of 52 kN when flying at

a constant speed of 110 m s1. Calculate the motive power of the engine at
this speed.

[3]

Explain what is meant by the stopping distance of a car.

[1]

What are the factors that increase the thinking distance when stopping a car?

[3]

Explain how wearing seat belts in a car reduces the risks of injury in a
car accident.

[2]

Higher level
7

A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 20 m s1. The driver of the car sees a
pedestrian unexpectedly step onto the road. The driver applies the brakes and stops
the car. The diagram shows how the velocity v of the car changes with time t from
the instant the driver sees the pedestrian step onto the road.
v (m s1)
20

10

0
0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

t (s)

Explain why the velocity of the car remains constant for 1.0 s.

For this car, calculate:

[1]

the thinking distance;

[1]

ii

the braking distance;

[2]

iii the stopping distance.

c

62

[1]

Explain how your answer to b ii would change if the road surface were icy.

[1]

A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 15 m s on a level road. The driver

sees a child stepping onto the road, 50 m ahead. The driver takes 0.50 s to react
before applying the brakes. The brakes decelerate the car at 6.0 m s2. Calculate
how far the car stops from where the child stepped onto the road.

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7 Forces, vehicles and safety

9 a The crumple zone of a car is an important safety feature in modern cars.

Explain how the crumple zone reduces the risks of injury in a car accident.
b

[1]

For a particular car of mass 850 kg the front crumples in a distance of 90 cm

when the car, initially travelling at 18 m s1, crashes into a rigid wall. Calculate:
i

the average impact force exerted on the car during the crash;

[3]

ii

the average deceleration of the car in terms of g. (g = 9.81 m s2.)

[2]

Extension
10 For a particular car, the braking force is 70% of the weight of the car.
a

Show that the braking distance of the car (in metres), initially travelling at
a speed v, is given by:
braking distance 0.073v2

[3]

Hence determine the braking distance for this car when it brakes from a
speed of 70 miles per hour.

[2]

(Acceleration of free fall g = 9.81 m s ; 1 mile = 1.6 km.)

11 Use the Internet to investigate how safety features are employed in modern cars.
Total: Score:
35

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Worked examples
Example 1
A truck is travelling at a speed of 30 m s1 on a level road. The motive power generated
by the truck is 150 kW. What is the net force acting on the truck? Determine the drag
force on the truck travelling at this speed.
The truck is travelling at a constant speed and therefore it has no acceleration. The net
force on the truck is therefore zero.
The motive force provided by the truck is equal to the drag F acting on the truck.
P = Fv
P 150 103
F= =
= 5.0 103 N
v
30

(5.0 kN)

According to the equation F = ma,

if a = O, then F = O.

Example 2
A car is travelling along a straight level road at 15 m s1. At this speed, the braking
distance of the car is 50 m. What is the braking distance of the car when its speed on the
same road is 20 m s1? You may assume that the deceleration of the car remains the same.
work done against friction = initial kinetic energy of the car
Fs =

1
mv 2
2

where F is the braking force, s is the braking distance, m is the mass of the car and v is
the initial speed of the car. Therefore, for a given car, we have:
s v2
For the car:

For a constant deceleration, the

braking force F is the same.

s
= constant
v2
Hence, the braking distance s at 20 m s1 is given by:
s
50
2=
20 152
s=

50 202
89 m
152

Tip
The braking distance is directly proportional to the square of the speed of the car,
that is: s v 2. (Doubling the speed gives four times the braking distance.) The speed
20
increases by a factor of
= 1.333. Hence the braking distance will increase by a
15
factor of 1.3332. The braking distance at 20 m s1 is therefore:
50 1.3332 89 m

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7 Forces, vehicles and safety

Practical
Investigating friction
Safety
There are not likely to be any major hazards in carrying out this experiment. However,
teachers and technicians should always refer to the departmental risk assessment before
carrying out any practical work.

Apparatus

wooden block
concrete slab
100 g masses
newtonmeter

engine oil
water
sand

Introduction
The conditions of the road can have a devastating impact on the friction between the
tyres of a car and the road. In this experiment, a wooden block is used to simulate the
car tyres and the concrete slab simulates the road. How do engine oil, water and sand
affect the upper limit of friction (referred to as the limiting friction) between the tyres
and the road? What effect does the mass of the car have on the friction between the
tyres and the road?

Procedure
The factors affecting braking distance are described on pages 71 and 72 of Physics 1.
100 g masses
newtonmeter
wooden block

friction

concrete slab

1
2

Attach a newtonmeter to the wooden block.

Place the wooden block on the concrete slab. Pull at the newtonmeter until the
wooden block just slips. The reading on the newtonmeter is equal to the maximum
friction. Record the reading on the newtonmeter.

By placing 100 g masses on the block, increase the mass of the wooden block. How
does the maximum friction depend on the mass of the block?

Pour some sand on the concrete slab. What effect does this have on the maximum
friction between the block and the surface?

Brush the sand off the concrete slab. Pour some water on the slab. What effect does
this have on the maximum friction between the block and the surface?

Now pour some engine oil on the concrete slab. What effect does this have on the
maximum friction between the block and the surface?

Guidance for teachers

The experiments are fun to do and provide a better insight into the factors affecting
friction. The specifications do not require knowledge of limiting friction.

7 Forces, vehicles and safety

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65

End-of-chapter test
Answer all questions.

1
2

3
4

Explain how a motive (driving) force is generated for a car.

[3]

A prototype electric car is fitted with rechargeable batteries that can provide a
maximum power output of 10 kW. With fully charged batteries, the car can
maintain a maximum velocity of 18 m s1 for a total time of 2.1 hours.
a

Calculate the motive force provided by the car when travelling at 18 m s1.

[3]

What is the total work done by the motive force?

[2]

Describe two factors that increase the braking distance of a car.

[2]

A car is travelling at a velocity of 30 m s on a level and straight road. The driver

applies the brakes. The total stopping distance for the car is 90 m. The reaction
time of the driver is 0.60 s.
a

Calculate the thinking distance.

[1]

Calculate the time for which the brakes are applied.

[3]

On the grid below, sketch a velocitytime graph for the car.

[3]

v (m s1)

0
0

t (s)

Total: Score:
17

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7 Forces, vehicles and safety

Marking scheme
Worksheet
1
2

Motive power = driving force speed [1]

a

W = Fx where x is equal to 25 m in a time of 1 s

W = 7000 25 [1]
W = 1.75 105 J 1.8 105 J [1]

The work done per unit time is equal to power. Hence:

motive power = 1.8 105 J [1]

P = Fv [1]
P = 52 103 110 [1]; P = 5.72 106 W 5.7 MW [1]

4
5

Stopping distance = braking distance + thinking distance [1]

Thinking distance = speed of car reaction time of driver [1]
The thinking distance will increase when:

During a car crash, wearing seat belts:

the speed of the car is increased; [1]

the reaction time of the driver is longer (due to tiredness, or being intoxicated
with either drugs or alcohol). [1]

prevents head injuries from a person hitting the windscreen or the steering
wheel; [1]
increases the time taken by the person to stop. The deceleration of the person is
smaller and therefore the force exerted on the person is reduced (F a). [1]

The reaction time of the driver is 1.0 s. During this time the car travels at a
constant velocity. [1]

Thinking distance = 20 1.0 = 20 m [1]

ii

Braking distance = area under graph from 1.0 s to 6.0 s.

braking distance =

1
20 5 [1]
2

braking distance = 50 m [1]

iii Stopping distance = 20 + 50 = 70 m [1]
c

The braking distance will be increased because the time taken to stop will
increase owing to reduced friction between the tyres and the icy road. [1]

Thinking distance = 15 0.50 = 7.5 m [1]

Braking distance = s
s=?

u = 15 m s1

v 2 = u 2 + 2as
s=

s=

v=0

a = 6.0 m s2

v2 u2
[1]
2a

0 152
= 18.8 19 m [1]
2 (6)

Stopping distance = 18.8 + 7.5 = 26.3 m 26 m [1]

Distance from child = 50 26 = 24 m [1]

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9 a The crumpling ensures that the impact time for the car is increased. This
reduces the deceleration of the car and hence the impact force on the car
is also reduced. [1]
b

Work done by impact force = initial kinetic energy of car [1]

F 0.90 =

1
850 182 [1]
2

F = 1.53 105 N 150 kN [1]

ii

a=

F 1.53 105
=
[1]
m
850

a = 180 m s2

a=

180
( 9.81
) g 18g [1]

10 a Work done by braking force = initial kinetic energy of car [1]

Fs =

1
mv 2
2

(0.70mg)s =

s=

where s = braking distance

1 2
mv
2

v2
2 9.81 0.70

(The braking force is equal to 70% of the weight.) [1]

(The mass m cancels.)

s 0.073v 2 [1]
b

70 miles per hour =

70 1.6 103

= 31.1 31 m s1 [1]

3600
Braking distance = 0.073 31.12 71 m [1]

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7 Forces, vehicles and safety

Marking scheme
End-of-chapter test
1

The car engine rotates the axle, which ultimately rotates the car tyres. [1]
The tyres exert a backward push on the road and the road exerts a forward push
on the tyres. [1]
The forward push on the tyres is friction. [1]

P = Fv [1];

F=

W = Pt

so

P 10 103
=
[1];
v
18

W = 10 103 (2.1 3600) [1]

W = 7.56 107 J (76 MJ) [1]

F = 556 N 560 N [1]

(You can also use: W = Fx.)

Work done = kinetic energy
1
Fs = mv 2
2

The braking distance s of a car is given by:

s=

mv2
2F

where F is the braking force, m is the mass of the car and v is the initial speed of
the car.
The braking distance will increase (accept any two): [2]

when the mass m is increased (s m);

when the speed v is increased (s v 2);
when the braking force is reduced due to icy conditions or wet surface or worn
1
tyres or worn brake pads (s ).
F

Thinking distance = 30 0.60 = 18 m [1]

Braking distance, s = 90 18 = 72 m [1]

u = 30 m s1

s = 72 m
s=

t=?

( v +2 u ) t

72 =
t=

v=0

0 + 30
t [1]
2

72
= 4.8 s [1]
15

v (m s1)

deceleration
30

20

10

0
3.0

0
0.6 s

6.0

t (s)

5.4 s

Constant velocity for 0.60 s [1]

Constant deceleration for 4.8 s [1]
Correct total stopping time of 5.4 s shown on graph. [1]
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