1. Acceleration: Gravity causes objects to accelerate downwards. This means their velocity increases constantly as they fall. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means an object's velocity increases by 9.8 meters per second for every second it falls.
2. Constant Acceleration: Gravity's acceleration is constant, meaning it doesn't change regardless of the object's initial velocity or mass (neglecting air resistance). This constant acceleration results in a linear increase in velocity over time.
3. Free Fall: In a vacuum, where air resistance is absent, all objects fall at the same rate of acceleration due to gravity. This is why a feather and a hammer will fall at the same speed in a vacuum.
4. Air Resistance: In real-world scenarios, air resistance plays a significant role. It opposes the motion of falling objects, slowing them down. As an object falls faster, air resistance increases. Eventually, the air resistance force becomes equal to the force of gravity, and the object reaches a terminal velocity where its speed remains constant.
To summarize:
* Gravity causes a constant acceleration of falling objects, increasing their velocity over time.
* In the absence of air resistance, all objects fall at the same rate.
* Air resistance slows down falling objects, eventually leading to a terminal velocity.
Important Note: The above explanations assume a constant gravitational field. In reality, the force of gravity decreases with distance from the Earth's center. However, for everyday objects falling near the Earth's surface, this variation is negligible.
