Could I have an explanation of the gravitational acceleration?

Question

I was looking at the question of squared seconds and I am street smart but logic dumb I looked up the question on yahoo. I think I learned a little but I still don't really get it. So I think if I understand gravitational acceleration then there is some hope for me. Gravitational acceleration is 32 feet per second, per second. Does this mean that an object in its first second of falling has a velocity of 32 feet and after every second its fall accelerates another 32 feet? Is it correct to assume that a free falling object on its first second, of free falling has a velocity of 32 feet per second, and the same object in its second, second of free falling has a velocity of 64 feet per second? What is I know nutting take on this?

Answer 1

Yeah, your understanding is about right.

After 1 second, you're going 32 ft/s
After 2 seconds, you're going 64 ft/s

You keep speeding up like this until air resistance makes the speed level off (or you land).

Answer 2

You have it right. Every second, the speed increases 32 ft/s. Hence the unit ft/s/s, shortened into ft/s2 (that should be squared). The speed will increase until the air resistance is so strong that it falls at a constant speed. That's called terminal velocity.