Final answer:
Total stopping distance includes the time from perceiving a problem to coming to a complete stop, factoring in both reaction distance and braking distance, and is influenced by road conditions and driver reaction time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that total stopping distance is the distance it takes from the moment you see a problem until your vehicle is stopped is TRUE. The total stopping distance includes the reaction distance, which is the distance your car travels from the time your brain registers a problem to the time your foot applies the brake, plus the braking distance, which is the distance your car travels from the time the brakes are applied until it comes to a complete stop. Road conditions and the driver's reaction time are critical factors affecting both the reaction distance and braking distance. For example, on dry and wet pavement, a car traveling at 30.0 m/s will have different stopping distances. If a driver has a reaction time of 0.500 seconds and a car’s acceleration during this time is zero, the distance traveled during the reaction time must be calculated and added to the braking distance to get the total stopping distance.