Interactive Simulator · Stopping Distance

Double the Speed, Quadruple the Stop

A moving car stores kinetic energy, one half mass times speed squared. To stop, the brakes must do work equal to that energy, force times distance. Because the energy depends on speed squared, going twice as fast stores four times the energy and needs four times the distance to stop. Pick a safe speed to halt before the hazard.

Mission A hazard sits 50 m ahead. Brake to a stop before it. Round 1Streak 0Best 0
If you double the speed, the stopping distance becomes:
kinetic energy ½ m v²200 kJ
stopping distance m v² ÷ (2 F)40.0 m
F d = ½ m v², so d = m v² ÷ (2 F).