What is gravitational potential energy?
Energy stored in an object due to its position above the ground
Energy is the capacity to do work, and it can be stored in different forms depending on the condition of an object.
Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object stores purely because of its position or height above the ground within a gravitational field.
It is calculated using the relation \(PE = mgh\), where \(m\) is the mass, \(g\) the acceleration due to gravity and \(h\) the height.
Raising an object higher increases this stored energy, which can later convert into motion if the object falls.
Energy possessed due to motion is kinetic energy, not potential energy, so that option is incorrect.
Energy released in a chemical reaction is chemical energy, and energy transferred because of a temperature difference is heat; neither describes energy stored due to height.
Hence, gravitational potential energy is Energy stored in an object due to its position above the ground.
Important Questions from Potential Energy
Which of the following is an example of gravitational potential energy?
- Determine the energy of an object with a mass of 5 kg at a height of 8 metres above the ground. Assume the value of 'g' as 9.8 m s-2.
The Energy stored in a system is called as
The potential energy acquired by a balloon when we press it (changing its shape), or by a spring inside a toy car when wound, is possessed by virtue of the object's _________________.
- The potential energy of a 20-kg object at height h is 600 J. The value of h is ______. (Take \(g = 10 \text{ m/s}^2\).)
