Falling objects initially accelerate (gain speed) because there is no force big enough to balance the downward force of gravity.
Demystifying Patanjali: The Yoga Sutras (Aphorisms) . by Swami Kriyananda (Crystal Clarity Publishers) (ISBN 978-1565892736)
Answering these questions demands an understanding of Newton's first and second law and the concept of terminal velocity. According to Newton's laws, an object will accelerate if the forces acting upon it are unbalanced; and further, the amount of acceleration is directly proportional to the amount of net force (unbalanced force) acting upon it. Falling objects initially accelerate (gain speed) because there is no force big enough to balance the downward force of gravity. Yet as an object gains speed, it encounters an increasing amount of upward air resistance force. In fact, objects will continue to accelerate (gain speed) until the air resistance force increases to a large enough value to balance the downward force of gravity. Since the elephant has more mass, it weighs more and experiences a greater downward force of gravity. The elephant will have to accelerate (gain speed) for a longer period of time before there is sufficient upward air resistance to balance the large downward force of gravity.
Hume, Margee (2009) Repurchase intent in the experiential context: using an operations and marketing perspective to invesitgate the cultural performing arts. Lambert Academic Publishing, Koln, Germany. ISBN 978-3-8383-2758-7; 3838327586
(1999-05-17; Rpt) Incident At Harar (Judith Somerville, dir Cherry Cookson)
Why Beauty Is Truth: The History of Symmetry 9780465082377
