An acceleration of 9.8 meters per second squared (often written as 9.8 m/s²) means that an object's velocity is increasing by 9.8 meters per second *every second*. Here's a breakdown:

* Meters per second (m/s): This is a unit of speed or velocity, measuring how fast something is moving.

* Squared (m/s²): The "squared" part indicates that the acceleration is measured over a period of time. It's like saying "meters per second, per second."

Example:

Imagine dropping a ball from a tall building. The ball starts at rest (0 m/s). Due to gravity, it experiences an acceleration of 9.8 m/s². This means:

* After 1 second: The ball will be moving at 9.8 m/s.

* After 2 seconds: The ball will be moving at 19.6 m/s (9.8 + 9.8).

* After 3 seconds: The ball will be moving at 29.4 m/s (19.6 + 9.8), and so on.

In simpler terms:

Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes. A constant acceleration of 9.8 m/s² means the object is constantly getting faster and faster at a consistent rate.

Important Note:

This acceleration of 9.8 m/s² is the acceleration due to gravity on Earth. It's a simplified approximation, as gravity actually varies slightly depending on location.