What level of stopping power is required when a vehicle's speed is doubled?

When a vehicle's speed is doubled, the stopping power required increases exponentially due to the principles of physics, specifically the concept of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is calculated as half of the mass of the vehicle multiplied by the square of its velocity. Therefore, if the speed of a vehicle is doubled, the effect on kinetic energy and consequently on stopping power is not linear.

To elaborate, when the speed of the vehicle doubles, its kinetic energy increases not just to double but to four times its original value. Since stopping a vehicle requires dissipating its kinetic energy, this means that the braking system needs to generate a force sufficient to handle four times the energy to bring the vehicle to a stop safely.

Understanding the mechanics involved helps clarify that the correct answer reflects the critical relationship between speed and stopping power — a fundamental concept in driving safety and vehicle dynamics.