Final answer:
The condition of your brakes should be checked at medium speed for safety and accuracy. For the physics question, if the initial speed of the car is doubled, the increase in temperature (ΔT) of the brakes would be four times greater due to the quadrupling of kinetic energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
When checking the condition of your brakes, it is prudent to do so at a moderate pace rather than at extreme speeds. Conducting this test at medium speed allows for a safe and controlled environment to ensure your brakes are functioning correctly. Testing brakes at high speeds can be dangerous, and testing at low speeds might not give a clear indication of their efficacy in a situation where strong braking is required.
To address the physics problem provided, the amount of heat (ΔT) generated in a car's brakes is related to the kinetic energy the brakes must dissipate to stop the car. The kinetic energy of a car is proportional to the square of its speed (KE = ½mv²). Therefore, if the initial speed (v) of the car is doubled, the kinetic energy will increase by a factor of four (v²), assuming mass (m) remains constant. Consequently, the heat generated (ΔT) would also be four times greater when the car is brought to rest from the higher speed.