Question map
Which one of the following holds true for a freely falling object ?
Explanation
A freely falling object is defined as an object moving solely under the influence of gravity. In such a state, the only external force acting on the object is its weight, which results in a constant acceleration known as the acceleration due to gravity (g), approximately 9.8 m/s² near the Earth's surface. Because the force of gravity is constant, the rate of change of velocity remains uniform throughout the motion. This means the object's speed increases at a steady rate as it falls, making it a classic example of uniformly accelerated motion. It does not move with uniform velocity or speed because its velocity is continuously changing [2]. Therefore, the motion is characterized by uniform acceleration rather than non-uniform acceleration, as the acceleration does not vary with time or position during the fall.
Sources
- [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Exploring Forces > Activity 5.8: Let us observe > p. 72