Potential Energy Calculator

Potential Energy Calculator

Select the parameter and provide all the required ones. The calculator will take instants to calculate the potential energy, acceleration, mass, and height of the object.

Calculate:

Mass

µg ▾

Gravity

µg ▾

Height

mm ▾

Our potential energy calculator allows you to calculate the mass, acceleration, height and gravitational potential energy of an object.

What is Potential Energy?

According to physics, potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position or state. Did you know?

"The energy required to move an object against the force of gravity is called gravitational potential energy."

The higher an object is lifted, the greater its gravitational potential energy becomes, and the lower it is, the less energy it has.

For example: Some real-life examples of potential energy include:

A ripe fruit hanging on a tree before it falls.
A bullet at the peak of its trajectory after being fired from a gun.
A box resting on a table before it falls.

Gravitational Potential Energy Formula:

You can calculate the gravitational potential energy of an object using the following formula:

P. E = m * g * h

m = mass of the object

g = acceleration due to gravity

h = height of the object from the reference point

Gravitational Acceleration:

When an object falls freely, it accelerates due to gravity. This acceleration is called gravitational acceleration and has a value of 9.8 m/s².

Pictorial Representation of Potential Energy:

potential energy

In the picture above, a car is ascending a cliff. At the start, the car has maximum kinetic energy while its potential energy is zero. As the car ascends, its height increases, causing the potential energy to rise from zero to a value corresponding to its position. At the top of the cliff, the car has maximum gravitational potential energy and its kinetic energy becomes zero.

At this moment, the car comes to rest for a fraction of a second before it starts descending towards the ground. As it moves downward, the potential energy of the car converts into kinetic energy, allowing the car to accelerate. When the car reaches the ground, its kinetic energy is maximum again, while the potential energy becomes zero.

How to Calculate Potential Energy?

To better understand the concept of potential energy, let's consider the following examples:

Example #01:

Find the potential energy of an object falling freely from a height of h = 10 m with a mass of m = 96.2 kg.

Solution:

The formula for potential energy is:

P.E = m * g * h

Substituting the given values:

P.E = 96.2 * 9.8 * 10

P.E = 9427.6 J

Example #02:

Suppose an object has an acceleration of g = 4.2 m/s² and possesses potential energy of P.E = 63 J. The mass of the object is m = 25 kg. Find the corresponding height of the object.

Solution:

The potential energy formula is:

P.E = m * g * h

Solving for height h:

h = P.E / (m * g)

Substituting the values:

h = 63 / (25 * 4.2)

h = 0.6 m

Thus, the height of the object is 0.6 m. You can also verify this result using a gravitational potential energy calculator.

Example #03:

Calculate the mass of an object in free fall with the following parameters:

Height of the object: h = 4.1 m

Potential energy of the object: P.E = 7.8 J

Solution:

We know that the acceleration due to gravity is g = 9.8 m/s². The formula for potential energy is:

P.E = m * g * h

Rearranging to solve for mass m:

m = P.E / (g * h)

Substituting the given values:

m = 7.8 / (9.8 * 4.1)

m ≈ 0.194 kg

How Potential Energy Calculator Works?

To find the potential energy of any system, you can use our free gravitational potential energy calculator to get accurate results. Here’s how it works:

Input:

You need to select one of the following parameters:

Mass
Gravity
Height
Potential energy

After selecting a parameter, enter its value and click ‘Calculate’.

Output:

Mass of the object
Gravity
Height of the object
Potential energy of the object
Step-by-step detailed calculation

References:

Sources include Wikipedia: Work and potential energy, Derivable from a potential, Potential energy for a linear spring, Negative gravitational energy. Also, Khan Academy: Conservation of energy, perpetual motion.