Final answer:
A runaway vehicle ramp is a safety feature designed to help vehicles with failed brakes come to a safe stop. It works by creating resistance through the use of loose gravel or other materials, causing the vehicle to slow down gradually. To measure the effectiveness of such a ramp, an experiment can be designed to determine the stopping distance of different vehicles under various conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
A runaway vehicle ramp is a safety feature typically found on mountainous highways. It is designed to help vehicles with failed brakes to come to a safe stop. The ramp is made of loose gravel or other materials that provide high resistance, causing the vehicle to slow down gradually.
When a vehicle drives into the ramp, the friction between the loose gravel and the vehicle's tires creates a drag force that opposes the vehicle's motion. This force slows down the vehicle and eventually brings it to a stop.
The effectiveness of a runaway vehicle ramp can be measured by designing an experiment to determine the stopping distance of different vehicles under various conditions. Factors such as the type of ramp surface, the speed of the vehicle, and the mass of the vehicle can be varied to analyze their impact on the stopping distance.