Final answer:
Friction is crucial in preventing an object from reaching the acceleration due to gravity because it acts in opposition to the motion, slowing the object down. In hypothetical scenarios of zero friction, an applied force ceases to increase an object's acceleration once the force is removed, leading to a constant velocity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seems to pertain to why an object might not reach the acceleration of 9.8 m/s², which is the average acceleration due to gravity at Earth's surface without significant air resistance. In a practical scenario, friction plays a critical role. If an attempt is made to measure the acceleration of a falling object, in reality, reaching the precise value of 9.8 m/s² can be challenging due to air resistance and possibly other factors like drag force.
However, when considering scenarios in physics problems where zero friction is assumed, like on an icy surface, an applied force would only accelerate an object until the force is removed. After that, assuming no external forces, such as friction, are present, the object continues with constant velocity due to inertia as per Newton's first law, and thus, its acceleration would be zero. Without friction, it is incorrect to assume that a car sliding on ice would accelerate indefinitely since constant application of a force is required for increasing acceleration, and in the absence of friction, no force is opposing the object's motion, leading to a constant velocity instead.