Explanation

Any mass is attracted to the Earth by the pull of gravity. Gravity accelerates all objects towards the ground at a specific rate. Without any other forces present, the speed of an object in free fall will increase the farther or longer it falls. In general the air resistance on an object depends upon several variables. First, it depends upon the shape of the object. Its shape determines the object’s drag coefficient: the more aerodynamic the shape, the less drag. Second, it depends upon the size of the object; specifically the cross-sectional area presented to the airflow (perpendicular to the direction of travel). And lastly, it depends upon the speed of the object. At low speeds the object’s resistance is directly proportional to speed, and at higher speeds the object’s resistance is proportional to its speed squared. Most objects falling through the air would be considered to be moving at a higher speed, even though that speed might not be great compared to some velocities.