Understanding the Physics
* Free fall: This means the only force acting on the object is gravity.
* Acceleration due to gravity (g): On Earth, this is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means the object's velocity increases by 9.8 meters per second every second it falls.
* Initial velocity (v₀): The problem states the object starts from rest, so v₀ = 0 m/s.
The Formula
We can use the following kinematic equation:
v = v₀ + at
Where:
* v = final velocity
* v₀ = initial velocity
* a = acceleration (due to gravity, g)
* t = time
Calculation
1. Plug in the values:
v = 0 m/s + (9.8 m/s²)(10 s)
2. Calculate:
v = 98 m/s
Answer: The velocity of the object after 10 seconds of free fall is 98 m/s.
