Probably, many drivers are familiar with the situation when, for example, a dog, cat or any other animal suddenly runs out onto the road. Agree a very unpleasant moment. After all, we only have a split second to respond to the situation. At this moment, most of us will probably press the brake pedal, and we will be sure that the car will instantly start to stop. But why are we sure about the brakes? How does the braking system in a car work? Let’s find out how brakes, using science, stop a heavy car.
If you move, you have energy – kinetic energy, to be precise. Kinetic energy is simply the energy that an object possesses because it has mass and speed (speed in a certain direction). The more mass you have (the heavier) and the faster you move, the more kinetic energy you have.
All this is certainly good. But what if you suddenly need to stop? How to move from fast movement to not moving at all. To do this, you need to get rid of your kinetic energy.
For example, if you are jumping from a height from a flying plane, then the best way to lose energy is to parachute. Thanks to the giant bag of tissue that flies after you, it slows you down, reducing speed and therefore the parachute helps to get rid of your kinetic energy.
As a result, the parachute allows you to safely land on the ground safe and sound.
By the way, powerful dragster cars that are record holders for acceleration from a standstill, as well as sports cars that can accelerate to record speeds, also use parachutes to stop. But most ordinary cars, as you know, use the traditional hydraulic brake system, which was invented back in the early 20th century, to stop and reduce speed.
Most cars have two or three different types of brake systems. Pay attention to the front wheels of your car. Behind the rim, you will see the brake discs. When the driver presses the brake pedal, brake pads made of wear-resistant material are clamped on both sides of the brake disc.
As a result of the friction of the pads with brake discs, heat is generated, the kinetic energy of the car is also reduced, which eventually begins to slow down. As you can see, the same principle as in motorcycles and even in bicycle brakes.
An accelerating car has a lot of energy and when you activate the brakes (no matter which ones are drum, disc or hand brake), this energy turns into heat as a result of friction of brake pads with drums or brake discs.
Naturally, due to strong friction, the drums and brake discs can heat up to 500 ° C or more! This is why drums or discs must be made of materials that will not melt at high temperatures. For example, expensive metal alloys, composites or ceramics are ideal for the manufacture of brake discs, drums and brake pads.
Imagine how much power you need to stop a high-speed car. Simply depressing the brake pedal would not create enough force to activate all four brakes to stop your vehicle quickly. That’s why brakes use hydraulics: a system of brake fluid-filled tubes that increase your braking power. Also, thanks to hydraulics, braking forces can be transmitted easily from one place to another in a short time.
If you have an old car with failed brakes and you don’t want to have another visit to the mechanic, you can always sell your car for cash. Car removal companies like Central Coast car removal which is also a professional car buyer will immediately give you a quick free cash quote for your car. With them, you have a chance of getting cash for your car up to $5999! Not only are they extremely quick and efficient, but their customer care services are also available throughout to guide you.