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Rogue Physicist.  Free resources for physics education © 2006-2016 Dorian Pascoe.  Email: dorian@top-school.co.uk

Most resources are available under a Creative Commons Licence.  Visit our mirror at www.physicsweb.altervista.org

 

 

 

 

Stopping Distances

 

 

 

 

Objectives:

 

  
 

 

 

Zoom zoom!

  

 

• To know what stopping distance, braking distance, and thinking distance mean.

 

 

• Know the factors that affect thinking distance and braking distance.

 

 

• Be able to determine thinking distance, braking distance and total stopping distance using graphical means or numerical means.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1 - Starter:

 

  
 

 

Stop!

 

 

  

 

Look at this presentation, which explains the ideas of thinking distance, braking distance and stopping distance.

 

 

Click the image above to view the presentation.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 2 - Measuring your reaction time

 

  
 

 

 

My reactions are faster than a speeding snail!

 

 

  

 

Your teacher will show you how to measure your reaction time, using just a metre ruler*.

 

 

 

1) Working in pairs measure your reaction time.

 

*Drop the ruler.  Partner catches it.  Look up reaction time in this table.

 

 

 

2) Measure your reaction time again, but this time get your partner to distract you by asking you questions.

 

 

 

Note: the conversion between distance and time can be found using the equations of motion, or just look it up in this table.  Full instructions for this task can be found here, with ideas of suitable questions to distract your partner.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 3 - Factors affecting stopping distance

 

  
 

 

I know the answer!

 

  

 

Fill in the table with the factors that affect thinking distance* and factors that affect braking distance.

 

 

Click the image below to download this worksheet.

*Think about anything that might affect your reaction time!

 

  

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

Task 4 - A speed-time graph to show stopping distance

 

  
 

 

 

Graphs.  Woop woop!

 

 

 

Calculations!

Yeah!

 

 

  

 

Draw a speed-time graph of this information.

 

Click the image above to download this task.

 

 

 

Analyse your graph to find the thinking distance, braking distance and total stopping distance of the car*.

 

 

 

 

 

*You can either use the rules you learned for analysing speed-time graphs, or the calculations you learned for average speed and acceleration.  Your teacher will tell you which method to use.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homework

 

  
 

 

Think hard!

Complete this homework task on Earth, or a suitable alternative planet.

  

 

Complete these problems to find the thinking distance, braking distance and total stopping distance.

 

Click the image above to download this task.