Potential Energy
Calculator
Results
- Potential energy
- 7,354.987499
Physics results
| Potential energy | 7,354.987499 |
formula-map diagram
- Potential energy
- 7,354.987499
Physical relationship
Formula
Ep = m × g × h= 7354.9875
Note
This result applies an idealized textbook equation to the numbers you entered; it ignores air resistance, material tolerances and other real-world losses.
More in Physics and engineering
See all →Frequently asked questions
What does the gravitational potential energy formula PE = mgh represent?+
It's the energy an object has stored because of its height above a chosen reference point, based on its mass, the local gravitational acceleration, and that height, measured in joules. Raising an object converts work done against gravity into this stored energy, which can later convert into kinetic energy as the object falls.
Why does the reference point (h = 0) matter, and can I choose it freely?+
Potential energy is always measured relative to a reference height you define — the ground, a table top, sea level, whatever's convenient — because only differences in height (and therefore differences in PE) have physical meaning for most calculations. This means an object's potential energy number by itself is somewhat arbitrary, but changes in PE between two points are always well-defined and consistent regardless of the reference chosen.
Does potential energy depend on the path taken to reach a given height?+
No — gravitational potential energy depends only on the final height relative to the reference point, not on the path taken to get there, since gravity is a conservative force. Walking straight up a hill or taking a long winding path to the same elevation results in identical potential energy at the top.
Why does the same object have different potential energy on Earth versus the Moon?+
The formula includes gravitational acceleration (g), which is about 9.8 m/s² on Earth but only about 1.6 m/s² on the Moon, so the same mass at the same height has roughly six times less potential energy on the Moon. This is a direct, formula-driven consequence of the Moon's weaker gravity, not a change in the object's mass or height.
How does potential energy convert into kinetic energy as something falls?+
Ignoring air resistance, total mechanical energy (potential plus kinetic) stays constant as an object falls, so potential energy lost converts one-to-one into kinetic energy gained. This is why an object dropped from a greater height (more initial PE) hits the ground with more kinetic energy and therefore a higher speed.