By how much does the braking distance increase, if you double the speed?

Description

speed and braking - subject-matter literature

Explanation

Correct answer: 4 times.

The braking distance increases fourfold when the speed doubles. This is due to the laws of physics – the kinetic energy of a vehicle, which the brakes must dissipate, is proportional to the square of its speed. This means that a vehicle travelling twice as fast has four times the energy to lose, which translates into a braking distance that is approximately four times longer.

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