Final answer:
Driving at 35 mph or more on a wet road can lead to hydroplaning, reduced traction, and longer stopping distances due to decreased tire-road friction and the inclusion of driver reaction times.
Step-by-step explanation:
Driving at 35 mph or more on a wet road can cause hydroplaning, which is when the tires of a vehicle lose contact with the road surface and instead ride on top of a thin layer of water. This significant reduction in traction can lead to loss of control and increased stopping distances, making it difficult for drivers to steer, brake, and accelerate. Considering reaction time and different friction coefficients for wet and dry pavement, the distance required to stop a vehicle increases significantly under wet conditions. The physics behind this involves the calculation of stopping distances based on the rate of deceleration the car can achieve. For instance, on dry concrete, a car can decelerate at a rate of 7.00 m/s², but on wet concrete, this rate is reduced to 5.00 m/s². The addition of driver reaction time to the physics equations further increases the overall stopping distance.
In the case of a car moving at 30.0 m/s (approximately 108 km/h or 67 mph), if the driver takes a reaction time of 0.500 s to start braking, there is an initial displacement due to this delay. Taking into account the reduced deceleration rate on wet roads, the stopping distance becomes substantially longer than on dry pavement, even before factoring in reaction time.