Final answer:
Front brakes typically provide around 70% to 80% of a vehicle's stopping power due to weight transfer and increased friction on the front tires. Hydraulic brake systems utilize Pascal's principle, where pressure applied on the master cylinder is evenly distributed to wheel cylinders, effectively increasing the braking force.
Step-by-step explanation:
Front brakes typically produce a higher percentage of a vehicle's total stopping power, often cited as around 70% to 80% depending on the vehicle's design, weight distribution, and dynamics during braking. This is due to weight transfer to the front of the vehicle under braking, which increases the frictional force that can be generated by the front tires and thus increases the effectiveness of the front brakes. The principles of hydraulic brakes and Pascal's principle also play a critical role in the functioning of the braking system by ensuring that the pressure applied by the brake pedal is uniformly transmitted to the brake calipers at the wheels.
In terms of physics and the related equations, when a force of 100 N is applied to the brake pedal, which acts on the master cylinder through a lever increasing the force, and pressure is then transmitted to the wheel or slave cylinders, we see Pascal's principle at work. Using the information given and equations from fluid dynamics and statics, we can determine the force exerted at each of the wheel cylinders, highlighting the multiplication of force afforded by hydraulics.