GCSE Physics (AQA)

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Stopping Distance Values

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Forces Forces and motion

Stopping Distance Values

4:41 Stopping Distance
Spec 4.5.6.3.1 4.5.6.3.3
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  • The highway code provides estimates for stopping distances of an average car at different speeds.
  • Stopping distance is the distance a car travels from when a hazard appears to when it stops.
  • Stopping distance is divided into thinking distance and braking distance.
  • Thinking distance increases by three meters for every 10 miles per hour increase in speed.
  • Braking distance increases more significantly at higher speeds.
  • Exam questions may involve estimating missing values from a table of stopping distances.
  • Stopping distances can also be represented in a graph with speed on the vertical axis and distance on the horizontal axis.
  • Graphs show thinking distances as rectangles and braking distances as pointed rectangles.
  • The relationship between thinking distance and speed is linear, while the relationship between stopping distance and speed is not linear.
  • Heavier vehicles, like lorries, require longer stopping distances than cars.
  • A lorry traveling at 60 miles per hour has a stopping distance of around 180 meters, compared to a car's 73 meters.
  • Lorries have the same thinking distance as cars but a much greater braking distance due to their larger mass.
  • The highway code includes additional rules for larger vehicles to ensure safe stopping in emergencies.

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