When an object falls freely under the influence of gravity, what is its primary form of energy just before it hits the ground?

The primary form of energy that an object possesses just before it impacts the ground after falling freely under the influence of gravity is kinetic energy. As the object descends, the gravitational force causes it to accelerate, which increases its velocity. Kinetic energy is defined as the energy of an object in motion, and it is directly proportional to the square of its velocity.

When the object is at the highest point of its fall, it has maximum potential energy due to its elevated position, which is transformed into kinetic energy as it falls. Right before hitting the ground, the potential energy decreases to zero while the kinetic energy reaches its maximum value due to the increased speed from falling. At this point, the energy transformation is nearly complete, making kinetic energy the dominant form of energy just before the impact with the ground.