How a Potential Energy Calculator Works
Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object stores by virtue of its height in a gravitational field. This calculator uses PE = mgh, where m is mass, g is the local gravitational acceleration, and h is height. Enter your values and pick a gravity setting to see the energy stored.
Because gravity differs from world to world, the calculator includes presets for Earth, the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter, plus a custom option. As a bonus, it also computes the speed the object would reach if it fell from that height in free fall.
The Formulas
- Potential Energy = mass × gravity × height (PE = mgh)
- Free-fall impact speed = √(2 × gravity × height)
- Mass is converted to kilograms and height to meters before calculating
Potential Energy in the Real World
Potential energy is central to everything from hydroelectric dams to roller coasters, where stored height energy is later released as motion.
- Raising an object higher or making it heavier increases its potential energy proportionally.
- The same object stores about six times less potential energy on the Moon than on Earth.
- As an object falls, its potential energy converts into kinetic energy.
- Potential energy is always measured relative to a chosen reference level, usually the ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is gravitational potential energy?
It is the energy an object has because of its position in a gravitational field. Lifting an object to a height h gives it potential energy equal to its mass times the gravitational acceleration times that height (PE = mgh), which can later be released as it falls.
Why does the choice of planet matter?
The gravitational acceleration g differs between worlds — about 9.81 m/s² on Earth but only 1.62 m/s² on the Moon. Since PE is directly proportional to g, the same object at the same height stores very different amounts of energy on different bodies.
How is the free-fall impact speed calculated?
Ignoring air resistance, all the potential energy converts to kinetic energy as the object falls, giving an impact speed of v = √(2gh). This calculator reports that speed alongside the potential energy result.