Final answer:
In free fall, an object has the slowest speed at the moment it starts falling. Its speed increases steadily due to Earth's gravitational acceleration until it reaches the highest speed just before impact or terminal velocity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In free fall, an object has the slowest speed just at the moment it is released. Once an object starts falling, it experiences a constant acceleration due to gravity, which on Earth averages 9.80 m/s². This means that, if air resistance and friction are negligible, the speed of the falling object will increase steadily as it descends toward the center of Earth. The highest speed, conversely, is reached just before impact, assuming it has not achieved terminal velocity where air resistance prevents further acceleration.