Final answer:
The statement is false; an object thrown upwards is indeed in free-fall if gravity is the only force acting on it, even if it is moving towards the peak of its trajectory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that an object rising toward its peak is not in free fall is false. Whether an object is moving upwards after being thrown or falling back down, it is considered in free-fall as long as gravity is the only force acting upon it. In the absence of air resistance, which has been stated to be negligible in this scenario, the only force acting on the object is gravity. Therefore, an object thrown upward is still in free-fall until it reaches its peak and also when it descends back down.
In the real world, air resistance does indeed affect the motion of objects. For instance, a tennis ball dropped from a height would fall slower than a hard baseball due to air resistance, despite both being in free-fall. Nevertheless, for the purpose of this question that assumes negligible air resistance, the upward and downward motion of the object is in free-fall.