* Acceleration due to gravity is constant: Near the Earth's surface, the acceleration due to gravity (g) is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means that every second, the speed of a falling object increases by 9.8 meters per second.

* Speed changes over time: The speed of a falling object is not constant. It starts at zero and increases as it falls due to the constant acceleration of gravity.

Think of it this way:

* Acceleration: Like a car speeding up, the object is constantly getting faster.

* Speed: This is how fast the object is moving at any given moment. It starts slow, then gets faster and faster.

Example:

Imagine you drop a ball from a building.

* At the moment you drop it: Speed is 0 m/s, acceleration is 9.8 m/s².

* After 1 second: Speed is 9.8 m/s, acceleration is still 9.8 m/s².

* After 2 seconds: Speed is 19.6 m/s, acceleration is still 9.8 m/s².

Important Note: This assumes no air resistance. In reality, air resistance slows objects down as they fall, making their speed increase more slowly than in a vacuum.