You are correct! In all instances mentioned - an object going down, an object thrown up, an object dropped, and an object launched - the acceleration is indeed equal to the acceleration due to gravity, which is typically denoted as "g". The value of "g" on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s^2.
So the assigned variables for acceleration would be:
- If an object is going down: a = g
- If an object is thrown up: a = g
- If an object is dropped: a = g
- If an object is launched: a = g
These equations or variables can be used to solve problems related to free-fall motion.