Gravitational potential energy is the stored energy an object has because of its height above the ground — the higher it is, the more energy it could release if it fell.
Gravitational potential energy is the stored energy an object has because of its height above the ground — the higher it is, the more energy it could release if it fell. This calculator finds that stored energy from mass, height, and gravity.
A 5 kg book sits on a shelf 2 m high. Potential Energy = 5 × 9.81 × 2 = 98.1 J.
PE = mass × gravitational acceleration × height (PE = mgh).
Gravitational potential energy specifically depends on vertical position relative to a reference point, not horizontal movement.
As an object falls, its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, with total mechanical energy conserved absent friction.