Question

If you go 2 times as fast, will your stopping distance increase by 2 or 4 times?

a) 2 times
b) 4 times
c) Not specified
d) Not applicable

Answer 1

Doubling your speed causes the stopping distance to increase by a factor of four due to the quadratic relationship between speed and stopping distance.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you go 2 times as fast, your stopping distance does not simply double. The stopping distance depends on the square of the speed. Therefore, if you double your speed, your stopping distance increases by a factor of four. To understand this, consider the formula for stopping distance which takes into account kinetic energy or the work-energy principle, where the kinetic energy quadruples when the speed doubles. Hence, more distance is required to dissipate the same amount of energy if the initial speed is higher.