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This question is typical on some driver's license exams: A car moving at 50 km/h skids 15 m with locked brakes. How far will the car skid with locked brakes at 150 km/h?

User Ladislav
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Final answer:

The skid distance is proportional to the square of the speed. A car at 150 km/h would skid nine times farther than at 50 km/h, which would result in a skid distance of 135 meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the distance a car will skid with locked brakes at different speeds and is related to concepts in physics, particularly kinematics and friction. In physics, the skidding distance when the brakes are locked is directly related to the square of the speed. This concept comes from the work-energy principle and the equation for kinetic energy which includes the square of the velocity. If a car moving at 50 km/h skids 15 meters, then at 150 km/h, which is three times the initial speed, the car would skid nine times the distance (since 3 squared is 9). Therefore, the car at 150 km/h would skid 135 meters with locked brakes.

User Shosaco
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