What is the net force acting on a 1kg ball in free fall?

To determine the net force acting on a 1 kg ball in free fall, it's essential to apply Newton's second law of motion, which states that force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration (F = m * a). In the case of free fall near the surface of the Earth, the only significant force acting on the ball is the force of gravity.

The gravitational acceleration near Earth's surface is approximately 9.81 m/s². For a 1 kg mass, the net force can be calculated as follows:

F = m * g = 1 kg * 9.81 m/s² = 9.81 N.

In a typical physics problem and for simpler calculations, this value is often rounded to approximately 10 N. Therefore, the net force acting on a 1 kg ball in free fall is represented as 10.0 N.

This shows that the correct choice reflects the gravitational force that would act on the ball, as it accelerates towards the Earth under the influence of gravity. The other options do not correspond to the standard acceleration due to gravity affecting a 1 kg mass, making them inaccurate representations of the forces in this scenario.