Y9 Stopping Distance

• Science
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

                      Motion

Stopping Distance

Learning objective

• Describe the difference between thinking and braking distance.
• Calculate stopping distance from thinking and braking distance.

On your driving test!

You are driving along a road. A hazard appears and you must apply the brakes. The distance covered by the car from the moment the hazard appears until the car stops is called the stopping distance.

You want the stopping distance to be as short as possible to avoid collisions and injuries.

Thinking distance is affected by things that may improve or worsen your perception or reflexes

Braking distance is affected by the condition of the road or your vehicle.

What 

will affect...

Thinking Distance

Braking

Distance

The wear on the brake pads.

1. Thinking
2. Braking

Snowy or icy conditions

1. Thinking
2. Braking

Alcohol consumption

1. Thinking
2. Braking

Wet road

1. Thinking
2. Braking

Using a mobile phone

1. Thinking
2. Braking

Tyre condition

1. Thinking
2. Braking

Distractions in the car

1. Thinking
2. Braking

Which car will have the longest stopping distance at the following speeds?

1. 10 m/s
2. 30 m/s
3. 15 m/s
4. 35 m/s

Which car will have the longest stopping distance at the following speeds?

1. 8 m/s
2. 21 m/s
3. 2.2 m/s
4. 13 m/s

Which car will have the longest stopping distance in the following conditions?

1. icy road
2. wet road
3. dry road

Which car will have the longest stopping distance with the following masses?

1. 1000 kg
2. 2000 kg
3. 3000 kg
4. 1500 kg

The thinking distance of the driver was 2m, drag the car to the correct thinking distance.

The thinking distance was 6m, the braking distance was 8m. What was the total stopping distance?

The stopping distance of the car was 11m. The braking distance was 3m. Drag the car to the thinking distance.

The car is travelling at 7 m/s. The driver takes 2 seconds to react, how far did the car travel in that time?

The car is travelling at 2.5 m/s. The driver takes 2 seconds to react, how far did the car travel in that time?

The car is travelling at 2 m/s. The driver takes 4 seconds to react, how far did the car travel in that time?