Lesson l/Learning Event 1
PRINCIPLES OF BRAKING
FIGURE 1. DEVELOPMENT OF FRICTION AND HEAT.
Brakes on early motor vehicles were nothing more than modified wagon
brakes used on horsedrawn wagons. These were a handoperated,
mechanical, levertype brakes that forced a piece of wood against one
or more of the wheels. This caused friction or a drag on the wheel
or wheels.
There is also friction between the wheel and ground that tries to
prevent the wheel from sliding or skidding on the ground. When a
vehicle is moving, there is a third force present. This force is
known as kinetic energy. This is the name given the force that tries
to keep any object in motion once it has started moving.
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