English National Curriculum - Science
Mission Objectives
Define stopping, thinking and braking distance
Explain what affects the stopping distance of a vehicle
Describe the factors that influence stopping, thinking and braking distances and how they impact road safety
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Words and meanings to learn
braking distance
the distance a vehicle travels after the brakes are applied until it comes to a complete stop
thinking distance
the distance a vehicle travels during the driver’s reaction time - between spotting a hazard and beginning to apply the brakes
acceleration
the rate of change of velocity per unit of time
reaction time
the time it takes for a person to respond to a stimulus or event, from recognising the need to act to beginning the response
stopping distance
the total distance a vehicle travels from the moment a driver notices a hazard to the moment the vehicle comes to a complete stop
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Handout.
Reaction activity: stopwatch, ruler and graph paper.
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Mission assignment film
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