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gravitational potential energy

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gravitational potential energy

Energy possessed by an object when it is placed in a position from which, if it were free to do so, it would fall under the influence of gravity. If the object is free to fall, then the gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic (motion) energy. The gravitational potential energy Ep of an object of mass m kilograms placed at a height h metres above the ground is given by the formula:

Ep = mgh

where g is the gravitational field strength (in newtons per kilogram) of the Earth at that place. See also potential energy.

In a hydroelectric power station, gravitational potential energy of water held in a high-level reservoir is used to drive turbines to produce electricity.



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The taller the ramp, the more gravitational potential energy Shaun will store at the top of it.
Catching air: pro-boarder Shaun White uses physics to soar to great ... by Bryner, Jeanna / Science World
As the train climbs, it gains gravitational potential energy The higher it climbs, the more energy it stores.
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The higher up he is, the more gravitational potential energy (stored energy due to height) he'll have," says Louis Bloomfield, a physicist at the University of Virginia.
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