1. Constant Acceleration: The most significant aspect of free fall is that the object accelerates downwards at a constant rate due to gravity. This acceleration is approximately 9.8 m/s² near the Earth's surface, meaning the object's downward velocity increases by 9.8 meters per second every second.
2. Increasing Velocity: As the object falls, its velocity continuously increases. Initially, if dropped from rest, the velocity is zero. But as the object accelerates, it gains speed, resulting in a higher and higher velocity.
3. Air Resistance (Negligible in Ideal Cases): In a perfect vacuum, there would be no air resistance. However, in real-world scenarios, air resistance acts as a force opposing the object's motion, slowing it down. The effect of air resistance depends on the object's shape, size, and speed.
4. Trajectory: If the object is dropped vertically, its trajectory will be a straight line downwards. If the object is thrown horizontally, its trajectory will be a parabolic curve, with the horizontal component of its motion remaining constant and the vertical component accelerating due to gravity.
5. No External Forces (Except Gravity): In the context of free fall, we assume that the only force acting on the object is gravity. This means we are ignoring any other forces like air resistance, friction, or propulsion.
In summary, an object in free fall experiences a constant acceleration due to gravity, leading to a continuously increasing velocity. In ideal cases, air resistance is negligible, and the object's trajectory depends on the initial conditions.
