* Gravity: The Earth has a gravitational pull, which is a force that attracts objects towards its center. This force is proportional to the mass of the object and the mass of the Earth.
* Acceleration: Acceleration is a change in velocity over time. When an object falls, its velocity increases as it gets closer to the Earth's surface.
* Free Fall: When an object is falling only under the influence of gravity, it's considered to be in free fall. In free fall, the only force acting on the object is gravity, and it accelerates at a constant rate.
Key Points:
* Constant Acceleration: The acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means that for every second an object falls, its downward velocity increases by 9.8 meters per second.
* Air Resistance: In reality, air resistance plays a role in slowing down falling objects. This force increases with the object's speed and surface area, eventually balancing out the force of gravity and resulting in a terminal velocity.
In summary: The acceleration of a falling object is caused by the Earth's gravitational pull. This pull constantly increases the object's velocity, resulting in its acceleration towards the Earth's surface.
