Headings Forces and
Motion Search Questions 
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Braking Distance of a Car - Conditions.
The braking force which brings a car to a stop depends on friction.
The most
important friction occurs between the tyres and the road
surface.
If the road is wet or icy,
then friction is reduced and the car
will take longer to stop
or the tyres will slip (skid).
The tread on the tyre makes water on
the surface of the road
go up into the grooves and then throws the water out sideways
to get it out from under the
tyre.
If the tread is not deep
enough,
the tyre can not remove surface
water quickly
and the tyre will ride up on top of the
water
and loose contact with the
road (called aquaplaning).
After the road surface and tyre
condition,
the next most important friction
occurs between the brakes and the
wheels.
If the brakes are not seriously worn or malfunctioning,
then friction here is usually
very good
because of modern brake design and
materials.
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