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h3.  Freefall    [!copyright and waiver^SectionEdit.png!|Motion with Constant Acceleration (Freefall)]
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The importance of the [One-Dimensional Motion with Constant Acceleration|1-D Motion (Constant Acceleration)] [model] in the mechanics curriculum owes much to the fact that one of the most prevalent [interactions|interaction] in our environment, [gravity|gravity (near-earth)] gives rise to a constant [force] on every object near the earth's surface.  Thus, any object moving purely under the influence of [gravity|gravity (near-earth)] near the earth's surface will experience a constant [acceleration].  This type of motion is common enough in everyday experience that it receives the special name [freefall].

*[Freefall|freefall]:* {excerpt-include:freefall|nopanel=true}

More surprisingly, the acceleration is also almost exactly the same on every object in [freefall] near the earth!  The [acceleration] of [gravity|gravity (near-earth)] on _any_ object in [freefall] near the earth's surface is well approximated by the value of 9.8 m/s{^}2{^} directed toward the ground.  The [magnitude] of the gravitational acceleration is so widely used in mechanics that we assign it a special constant, {_}g{_}.

{latex}\begin{large}\[ g \equiv 9.8 m/s^{2} \] \end{large}{latex}

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bgColor=#F0F0FF}!images^SAP.gif! *[Keys Please]* ({excerpt-include:Keys Please|nopanel=true}){tippanel}