What are brakes and how do they work?
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Types of Brakes

Two types of brakes are mainly in use: disc brakes and drum brakes. Both depend on friction to slow the vehicle down, but work in different ways.
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Disc Brakes

The part of the Brake System that is ground with the wheel.
Brake Pads: Applied to the rotor to generate friction.
Caliper: Contains the brake pads and is responsible for squeezing them against the rotor with hydraulic force.
Hydraulic System: Carries the brake pedal force to the caliper.
Pressing on the brake pedal sends pressure through a hydraulic fluid in the brake lines to squeeze the calipers. The calipers push the brake pads into the spinning brake rotor, which creates friction and slows down the wheel.
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Drum Brakes

Brake Drum: A drum that is bolted to the wheel.
Brake Shoes: Friction pads that are curved and fit inside the drum.
Wheel Cylinder: Forces the shoes out against drum using hydraulic pressure.
Return Springs: These are springs that pull the shoes back out from rubbing against the drum when you let go of the brake.
When sensation the use your brake pedal hydraulic fluid pushes on the wheel cylinder causing it to expand and squeeze the brake shoes against the interior surface of the brake drum. The friction of the drum against the shoes slows down the wheel.
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Additional Components

Master Cylinder: The master of the braking system which transforms brake pedal depressing force into hydraulic power.
Brake Lines: These are the tubes where the brake fluid is traveling from every master cylinder down to any of those calipers as well as towards the wheel cylinders.
Brake Booster: Adds force to the brake pedal, so less effort is required to press it.

Function

Depress Brake Pedal: You step on the brake.
Hydraulic Pressure: This force is transferred via the brake fluid within a hydraulic system to the calipers or wheel cylinders.
Friction: The brake pads (disc brakes) or brake shoes (drum brakes) are pushed against the rotor or drum, causing friction.

Brakes are one of the single most important safety feature on your car and come packaged in several varieties for a reason, when you need to stop in a hurry you want what ever it takes!