We all k

ow that pushi
n

g dow
n

o
n

the brake pedal

slows a car to a

stop. But how

doesthis happe
n

?
H
ow does
y
our car tra
n

smit the force

from
y
our leg to its
wheels?
H
ow does itmultipl
y
the force so that it
is e

ough to stop
somethi
n

g as big as a car?

BRAKE BAS
I
CS
Whe
n

y
ou depress
y
our brake pedal,
y
our car tra
n

smits the force

from

y
our foot to
its brakes through
a fluid.
S

i
n

ce the actual
brakes require a

much greater
force tha
n

y
ou could appl
y
with
y
our leg,

y
our car must also
multipl
y
the force of
y
our foot.
I

t does this i
n

two wa
y
s:
y

Me
chanical
advantag
e

(
l
e
v
er
ag
e)
y

Hyd
r
aulic fo
r
c
e
multiplication
T

he brakes tra

smit the force to

the tires usi
n

g
f
r
iction
,a
n

d the tires tra

n

smit that force to

theroad usi
n

g frictio
n

also. Before we
begi
n

our discussio

o
n

the compo
n

e
n

ts of the brake s
y
stem,let's cover
these three pri

ciples: