Take a small stone. Hold it in your hand. What are the forces acting on the stone ? Now release the stone. What do you observe ? What are the forces acting on the stone after you release it ?

Explanation

(i) When a stone is held in our hands, it experiences the gravitational force exerted on it by the earth pulling it downward and the force of the hand pushing it upwards.
(ii) When the stone is released, it falls down.
(iii) Once the stone is released , the forces acting on the stone are gravitational force and an upward force opposing the gravitational force.
(iv) If the medium in which the stone is released is air, frictional force due to air also acts on the stone opposing its motion .