Stopping Distance Worksheet
Name: ________
The stopping distance is _____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
1.
Here are some car speeds and the distance it takes for a car to stop when it is travelling
at this speed, e.g., at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour it takes a car 13 metres to stop
when it brakes.
Speed (kilometres per hour)
20
40
60
80
100
Stopping distance (metres)
13
30
55
80
110
a)
Using the data in the table complete the graph below. The first point is done for you.
Remember to plot using crosses and not dots.
Car Speed and Stopping Distance
b)
Complete the sentence about stopping distance.
The faster a car is going the _______________________________________________
c)
i)
If the road the car was travelling on was wet the stopping distance would (circle one)
decrease.
ii)
stay the same.
increase.
Explain your answer to i).
_____________________________________________________________________
2.
This question is about stopping a car. Remember that a car travels some
way before the driver manages to put on the brakes. This is called the
thinking distance or reaction distance. The car then goes even further
while the brakes bring the car to a halt. This is called the braking
distance. The table gives some information about the thinking and
braking distances for the same car at different speeds.
Speed in kilometres
per hour (km/h)
Thinking distance
in metres (m)
Braking distance
in metres (m)
45
9
14
80
16
35
105
21
75
a What is the total stopping distance of a car travelling at 45 km/h? ____________
b A child runs into the road 45 m in front of a car travelling at 80 km/h. Will the car hit
the child? Explain how you know.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
c The driver is very tired. How and why will this affect the stopping distance?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
d Name one problem, other than speed, that will affect the braking distance and say
why it will affect it.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
e Give one thing, other than speed or tiredness, that will increase a driver’s thinking
distance
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Stopping Distance Answers 20 marks
Stopping distance = definition from Textbook page 113
2 marks
= the distance it takes your car to stop from when you first see a hazard. This is your reaction distance
added to the braking distance
Qu 1: Answers
a)
2 marks
all points
correctly
plotted
1 mark
one mistake
made
Should plot
crosses and not
dots as on this
graph - 1 mark
Speed of car (kilometres per hour)
b)
c)
i)
ii)
Smooth curve -1
mark
The greater the stopping distance.
1 mark
Increase
Any answer that indicates less friction
between the car/tyre and the road, e.g.,
it would be more slippery.
1 mark
1 mark
Total: 8 marks
Qu 2
Answer
a
9 + 14 = 23 m
The car will hit the child
because the total stopping distance at 80 km/h (16 + 35 = 51 m) is
greater than 45 m.
Tiredness will increase the stopping distance
because the thinking distance is increased / gets longer.
Any one problem that could affect braking distance, for example:
ice on road, water on road, worn tyres, faulty brakes.
Accept equivalent answers.
One additional factor that affects thinking distance, for example:
The driver drinking alcohol, taking drugs.
Accept equivalent answers.
b
c
d
e
Mark
Total
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
10