Final answer:
Anti-lock brakes (ABS) prevent wheels from locking up during braking, ensuring better traction and steering control. As a vehicle's initial speed doubles, the temperature increase in brakes would be significantly greater due to the square relationship between speed and kinetic energy. Regenerative brakes convert motion into electrical energy for improved efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anti-lock brakes (ABS) work by preventing the wheels from locking up during braking. This is essential for maintaining steering control during an emergency stop and helps to minimize stopping distance on slippery surfaces. ABS functions by constantly monitoring the speed of each wheel with sensors, and if the system detects that a wheel is about to lock up, it automatically modulates the brake pressure to keep the wheel rotating just at the threshold of locking up. This allows for better traction and control.
When considering the effect of speed on the temperature increase (ΔT) of car brakes, the energy transformation is similar to when a book slides across a floor and the kinetic energy is converted into heat through friction. The heat generated in a car's brakes increases as the car's initial speed increases. Specifically, if a car initially had twice the speed, the kinetic energy would be four times greater because kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the velocity (E = 1/2 mv²). Consequently, the increase in temperature (ΔT) would also be significantly greater.
Regenerative brakes differ from traditional braking systems; instead of converting kinetic energy purely to heat, they convert some of the energy of motion into electrical energy, which can be stored in a battery for future use. This process is more efficient and can also contribute to the overall energy efficiency of a vehicle.