Bach when I taught auto mechanics (a little over 30 years' worth) I'd have my students calculate the amount of fuel an average sized car needed to burn to accelerate to 60 MPH, and then break down the dissipation of energy required to stop it again. One of the laws of physics is the concept of "conservation of energy"- - - - -energy is neither created nor destroyed, it simply changes its form. After accounting for things like rolling resistance, wind resistance, and other energy dissipating factors, the amount of energy the brakes absorb during a single stop from 60 MPH is roughly equivalent to the heat needed to MELT a 9 inch cast iron skillet! Brakes get hot, but the heat is mostly dissipated by air passing over the drums and/or rotors. Brake "fade" where there's lots of pedal pressure but no stopping effect happens when more energy is trying to be absorbed by the brakes than they can dissipate to the surrounding air.
Jerry
