Final answer:
The statement is true; total stopping distance includes perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance. These components are essential in determining how far a car will travel before it can come to a complete stop under various conditions, including driver reaction time and road surface.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, the total stopping distance for a vehicle is indeed made up of the perception distance, the reaction distance, and the braking distance. Perception distance is the distance your vehicle travels from the time your eyes see a hazard until your brain recognizes it. The reaction distance is the distance you travel from the time your brain tells your foot to move from the accelerator until your foot is actually pushing on the brake pedal. Finally, the braking distance is the distance it takes to stop once the brakes are applied. All these distances together make up the total distance required to bring a car to a complete stop.
When calculating the total stopping distance, it's important to consider factors like road conditions and driver reaction time, as they can significantly impact the distances involved. For example, a car initially traveling at 30.0 m/s with a 0.500-second reaction time will cover a certain distance before even starting to slow down. During this reaction time, the car's velocity is assumed to remain constant, so the distance traveled in this period can be calculated simply by multiplying the speed by the reaction time. This distance adds to the braking distance, whether driving on dry or wet pavement, to determine the total distance needed to stop the car.