Re: Truck stopping distances?

[Brian Whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 06:59 AM 3/1/02, you wrote:
> Why does it take a truck further to stop than a car? Data on many web sites
> gives about a 50% increase in stopping distances.
>
> BUT
>
> HS physics friction problems typically ask students to calculate the
> stopping distance of a vehicle with speed x and COF y. This shows that the
> mass of the object is cancelled when finding the acceleration and therefore
> should be independent of the stopping distance.
>
> Same tires, same pavement.
> What is different about the braking systems?
>
> Web searches only reveal that the distances are greater. No mention of why -
> besides the fact that trucks are heavier - useless.
>
> Scott
>
>
>
> *****************************
> S.Goelzer


And come to think of it, loaded cargo trains can take a mile to stop.
Looks like a kinetic energy/available braking force ratio issue to me


Brian Whatcott
  Altus OK                      Eureka!