Final answer:
The velocity of a falling object when air resistance is ignored is constantly increasing due to the constant acceleration of gravity, which is 9.80 m/s² on Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the velocity of a falling object when air resistance is ignored. The correct answer is (a) the velocity of a falling object is constantly increasing. This is because, in the absence of air resistance, an object in free fall experiences a constant acceleration due to gravity. On Earth, this acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.80 m/s². The velocity of a falling object will continuously increase at this rate as long as it is in free fall and unaffected by air resistance.
It is worth noting that air resistance acts in the direction opposite the motion of the object, and exerts more force on objects with greater surface area, affecting their rate of fall. However, since the question specifies ignoring air resistance, it does not factor into the answer.