* Acceleration due to gravity: The primary force acting on a falling object is gravity. This force causes the object to accelerate downwards, meaning its speed increases over time.
* Starting velocity: An object might be dropped, thrown, or start its fall from a resting position. The initial velocity affects the overall speed.
* Air resistance: Air resistance (also called drag) opposes the motion of a falling object. The more air resistance, the slower the object falls.
Here's a more precise explanation:
* Without air resistance: In a vacuum (no air), objects accelerate downwards at approximately 32.2 feet per second squared (ft/s²). This means for every second an object falls, its speed increases by 32.2 ft/s.
* With air resistance: In reality, air resistance is present. This means an object will reach a terminal velocity, where the force of air resistance equals the force of gravity. At this point, the object stops accelerating and falls at a constant speed. Terminal velocity varies based on factors like the object's shape, size, and weight.
Therefore, instead of a specific speed, we talk about the acceleration due to gravity (32.2 ft/s²) or the terminal velocity of an object.
