Final answer:
The speed of the object in free fall after 5 seconds will be 49 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
The speed of an object in free fall can be determined using the equation v = u + gt, where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time. In this case, the object's initial velocity is 0 m/s and the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s². Plugging in the values, we can calculate the final velocity after 5 seconds:
v = 0 + (9.8 * 5) = 49 m/s
Therefore, the object's speed after 5 seconds will be 49 m/s.