Final answer:
The braking distance is the distance a car travels from when the brakes are first applied to a complete stop, varying with road conditions and driver reaction time. Total stopping distance also includes the distance covered during the driver's reaction time before the brakes are applied.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the driver of a car hits the brakes, the car slows down to a complete stop. The braking distance is the distance the car travels from the moment the brakes are applied to the point where it comes to a complete stop. This distance can be affected by road conditions and driver reaction time. For instance, braking on wet pavement will often result in a longer stopping distance compared to dry pavement due to reduced friction.
To calculate the total stopping distance, one must consider the distance traveled during the driver's reaction time, which is typically the time taken between perceiving a need to stop and physically applying the brakes. In situations where a car is traveling at high speed, such as 30.0 m/s, and the driver has a reaction time of 0.500 seconds, the car will continue to move at the initial velocity during this reaction interval since there is no acceleration (areaction = 0).
Therefore, to determine the total stopping distance, one must add the distance covered during the reaction time to the braking distance on the given pavement condition. Notably, if someone is conducting an experiment by driving a car at 50 mph and then applying the brakes until it stops, it is crucial to record both the distance and the time it takes to stop to understand the stopping dynamics fully.