What is the acceleration of an object in free fall when ignoring air resistance?

The acceleration of an object in free fall, when air resistance is neglected, is approximately 9.81 m/s² directed downward. This value represents the acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's surface. When an object is in free fall, it is solely influenced by the gravitational force acting on it, which pulls it toward the center of the Earth. This gravitational acceleration is constant and does not change over the course of the fall, as long as the effects of air resistance are not taken into account.

Thus, the correct choice indicates that the acceleration is pointed downwards at this value. Understanding that gravity consistently accelerates falling objects at this rate is fundamental to the study of mechanics, particularly in analyzing motion under the influence of gravity alone.