9.81 meters per second squared
When objects fall on Earth, they accelerate at 9.8 meters per second per second -- or 9.81 meters per second squared (m/s2 or ms-2) -- which is known as the acceleration due to gravity. The mass (or weight) of the object does not affect the rate of acceleration; all objects accelerate downward at the same rate.
The above is true for objects falling in a vacuum, which is rarely the case on Earth, where air resistance works against the object and prevents it from picking up more speed. On the moon, which has no atmosphere and is a virtual vacuum, objects accelerate much more slowly than on Earth -- only 1.6 m/s2 -- but achieve much greater velocities in free-fall because there is no air resistance.
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The above is explaining the acceleration due to gravity. The model for the time it takes for an object to fall from rest under uniform gravitational field is: SQRT(2h)/a), where h is the height of the object and a is the acceleration due to gravity, wherever you may be in the universe. (On Earth, a = 9.81m/s2).
If there is a changing gravitational field -- that is, if you are really far from a massive object, such a planet or star -- then it involves calculus and integrals.
First answer by ID980307801. Last edit by Rosencrantz. Contributor trust: 123 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 44 [recommend question]
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