What is potential energy?

Potential energy is stored energy that relies on the relative position of a system's components. It exists in systems where parts exert forces on each other, with the magnitude depending on their configuration or relative position. Examples of potential energy: * A spring has more potential energy when compressed or stretched. * A steel ball possesses more potential energy when raised above the ground. * Energy stored between charged capacitor plates is electrical potential energy. * Chemical energy results from forces among molecules and atoms. * Nuclear energy. Potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy or other forms of energy, such as electric energy. The potential energy of a system depends only on the initial and final configurations and not on the path traveled.

How is potential energy different from kinetic energy?

Potential energy is stored energy that depends upon the relative position of a system's components, like a spring being stretched or compressed. It exists in systems where parts exert forces on each other, with magnitude reliant on their configuration. Kinetic energy , conversely, is the energy of an object or particle due to its motion, depending on both motion and mass. The translational kinetic energy of a body is equal to one-half the product of its mass, m , and the square of its velocity, v , or (1/2mv^2). Potential energy can convert into kinetic energy and then into other forms, like electric energy.

What are some common examples of potential energy?

Potential energy is stored energy within a system or object due to its position or condition. It can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy. Common examples of potential energy:

How does an object's position affect its potential energy?

An object's position significantly affects its potential energy . Potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position relative to a force field. For gravitational potential energy, the higher an object is, the more potential energy it possesses because of its position in Earth's gravitational field. The potential energy increases as the object is lifted higher above the ground. This relationship is quantified by the equation (U = mgh), where (U) is potential energy, (m) is mass, (g) is the acceleration due to gravity, and (h) is the height above a reference point.

What is gravitational potential energy?

Potential energy is stored energy that depends upon the relative position of the parts of a system. It arises in systems with parts that exert forces on each other, with the magnitude of those forces dependent on the configuration, or relative position, of the parts. Gravitational potential energy exists when the force of gravity between two parts of a system depends on the distance separating them. The work done in separating them farther, such as raising a ball, transfers additional energy to the system, where it is stored as gravitational potential energy. Near Earth’s surface, it can be calculated by multiplying an object's weight by its distance above a reference point.

How can potential energy be converted into other forms of energy?

Potential energy is stored energy within a system due to the position or arrangement of its parts. This stored energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion. For example, water held behind a dam (potential energy) can be released to flow through turbines, converting the potential energy into kinetic energy, which then drives electric generators to produce electrical energy. Other forms of potential energy include: * Chemical energy The capacity of a substance to do work or evolve heat by changing composition * Electrical potential energy The energy stored between the plates of a charged capacitor * Nuclear energy A form of potential energy stored within the nucleus of an atom * Gravitational potential energy Energy stored in a body by virtue of its position in a gravitational field

potential energy

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Images & Videos

Illustration showing examples of energy types: a raised hammer and a drawn bow represent potential energy, the swinging hammer and released arrow illustrate kinetic energy, and the hammer striking a nail demonstrates mechanical energy.

Understanding potential and kinetic energy in action

A 3D plot shows two potential energy surfaces: section A, shaded red, rises sharply to illustrate the repulsive potential between two positive charges; section B, shaded blue, dips downward to show the attractive potential between a negative and a positive charge.

A three-dimensional wireframe graph with a steep red plateau and a deep blue well, illustrating the potential energy landscape experienced by a positive charge.

potential energy as a function of elongation of a fissioning nucleus

A graph showing a potential energy curve for a chemical reaction, with the y-axis labeled potential energy and the x-axis labeled progress of reaction. The curve rises from the initial state (reactants) to a peak labeled transition state (activated complex), indicating activation energy, then drops to the final state (products).

The law of conservation of energy explained

Hear about the proof suggesting an absence of absolute time implies the law of conservation of energy and that force conserves energy

Quick Facts

Related Topics:: energy; strain energy; potential energy curve; gravitational potential energy; interchange energy

On the Web:: Seneca Polytechnic Pressbooks System - Physics - Potential Energy (Oct. 17, 2026)

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potential energy

physics

Also known as: stored energy

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Last updated

Oct. 17, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is potential energy?
Potential energy is stored energy that relies on the relative position of a system's components. It exists in systems where parts exert forces on each other, with the magnitude depending on their configuration or relative position.

Examples of potential energy:
* A spring has more potential energy when compressed or stretched.
* A steel ball possesses more potential energy when raised above the ground.
* Energy stored between charged capacitor plates is electrical potential energy.
* Chemical energy results from forces among molecules and atoms.
* Nuclear energy.

Potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy or other forms of energy, such as electric energy. The potential energy of a system depends only on the initial and final configurations and not on the path traveled.
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How is potential energy different from kinetic energy?
Potential energy is stored energy that depends upon the relative position of a system's components, like a spring being stretched or compressed. It exists in systems where parts exert forces on each other, with magnitude reliant on their configuration.

Kinetic energy, conversely, is the energy of an object or particle due to its motion, depending on both motion and mass. The translational kinetic energy of a body is equal to one-half the product of its mass, m, and the square of its velocity, v, or (1/2mv^2). Potential energy can convert into kinetic energy and then into other forms, like electric energy.
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What are some common examples of potential energy?
Potential energy is stored energy within a system or object due to its position or condition. It can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy.

Common examples of potential energy:
- A compressed or stretched spring possesses elastic potential energy.
- A steel ball raised above the ground has gravitational potential energy.
- The energy stored between the plates of a charged capacitor is electrical potential energy.
- Chemical energy, such as that in methane, is potential energy resulting from the forces among molecules and atoms.
- Nuclear energy is another form of potential energy.
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How does an object's position affect its potential energy?
An object's position significantly affects its potential energy. Potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position relative to a force field.

For gravitational potential energy, the higher an object is, the more potential energy it possesses because of its position in Earth's gravitational field. The potential energy increases as the object is lifted higher above the ground. This relationship is quantified by the equation (U = mgh), where (U) is potential energy, (m) is mass, (g) is the acceleration due to gravity, and (h) is the height above a reference point.
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What is gravitational potential energy?
Potential energy is stored energy that depends upon the relative position of the parts of a system. It arises in systems with parts that exert forces on each other, with the magnitude of those forces dependent on the configuration, or relative position, of the parts.

Gravitational potential energy exists when the force of gravity between two parts of a system depends on the distance separating them. The work done in separating them farther, such as raising a ball, transfers additional energy to the system, where it is stored as gravitational potential energy. Near Earth’s surface, it can be calculated by multiplying an object's weight by its distance above a reference point.
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2. Definition of potential energy
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How can potential energy be converted into other forms of energy?
Potential energy is stored energy within a system due to the position or arrangement of its parts. This stored energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion. For example, water held behind a dam (potential energy) can be released to flow through turbines, converting the potential energy into kinetic energy, which then drives electric generators to produce electrical energy.

Other forms of potential energy include:
* Chemical energy The capacity of a substance to do work or evolve heat by changing composition
* Electrical potential energy The energy stored between the plates of a charged capacitor
* Nuclear energy A form of potential energy stored within the nucleus of an atom
* Gravitational potential energy Energy stored in a body by virtue of its position in a gravitational field
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potential energy, stored energy that depends upon the relative position of various parts of a system. A spring has more potential energy when it is compressed or stretched. A steel ball has more potential energy raised above the ground than it has after falling to Earth. In the raised position it is capable of doing more work. Potential energy is a property of a system and not of an individual body or particle; the system composed of Earth and the raised ball, for example, has more potential energy as the two are farther separated.

Potential energy arises in systems with parts that exert forces on each other of a magnitude dependent on the configuration, or relative position, of the parts. In the case of the Earth-ball system, the force of gravity between the two depends only on the distance separating them. The work done in separating them farther, or in raising the ball, transfers additional energy to the system, where it is stored as gravitational potential energy.

Potential energy also includes other forms. The energy stored between the plates of a charged capacitor is electrical potential energy. What is commonly known as chemical energy, the capacity of a substance to do work or to evolve heat by undergoing a change of composition, may be regarded as potential energy resulting from the mutual forces among its molecules and atoms. Nuclear energy is also a form of potential energy.

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27 True-or-False Questions from Britannica’s Most Difficult Science Quizzes

The potential energy of a system of particles depends only on their initial and final configurations; it is independent of the path the particles travel. In the case of the steel ball and Earth, if the initial position of the ball is ground level and the final position is 10 feet above the ground, the potential energy is the same, no matter how or by what route the ball was raised. The value of potential energy is arbitrary and relative to the choice of reference point. In the case given above, the system would have twice as much potential energy if the initial position were the bottom of a 10-foot-deep hole.

Gravitational potential energy near Earth’s surface may be computed by multiplying the weight of an object by its distance above the reference point. In bound systems, such as atoms, in which electrons are held by the electric force of attraction to nuclei, the zero reference for potential energy is a distance from the nucleus so great that the electric force is not detectable. In this case, bound electrons have negative potential energy, and those very far away have zero potential energy.

Potential energy may be converted into energy of motion, called kinetic energy, and in turn to other forms such as electric energy. Thus, water behind a dam flows to lower levels through turbines that turn electric generators, producing electric energy plus some unusable heat energy resulting from turbulence and friction.

Historically, potential energy was included with kinetic energy as a form of mechanical energy so that the total energy in gravitational systems could be calculated as a constant.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.

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