Understanding the Physics
* Acceleration due to gravity (g): The Earth's gravitational pull causes objects to accelerate downwards at approximately 9.8 m/s². This means their speed increases by 9.8 meters per second every second they fall.
* Initial velocity (v₀): You've stated the object starts from rest, so the initial velocity is 0 m/s.
* Time (t): The object falls for 2 seconds.
The Equation
We can use the following equation of motion to find the final velocity (v):
v = v₀ + gt
Calculation
* v₀ = 0 m/s
* g = 9.8 m/s²
* t = 2 s
Substitute these values into the equation:
v = 0 + (9.8 m/s²)(2 s)
v = 19.6 m/s
Answer: The object will have a speed of 19.6 m/s after falling for 2 seconds.
