Gravitational Potential Energy
kg
m
m/s²
Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is the energy stored in an object due to its position in a gravitational field. GPE = mgh where m is mass (kg), g is gravitational acceleration (9.81 m/s²), and h is height above reference (m).
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Tip: Conservation of energy: GPE lost = KE gained (ignoring friction). A ball dropped from 10m hits the ground at v = √(2gh) = √(2×9.81×10) ≈ 14 m/s = 50 km/h.
- 1GPE = m × g × h
- 2g ≈ 9.81 m/s² at Earth's surface (9.80665 exactly at standard)
- 3GPE is relative to a reference height (often the ground or sea level)
- 4When an object falls, GPE converts to kinetic energy (KE = ½mv²)
5 kg object raised 10 m=GPE = 5 × 9.81 × 10 = 490.5 JAbout half a kilojoule
70 kg person on a 10-story building (30m)=GPE = 20,601 J ≈ 20.6 kJ
| Location | g (m/s²) | Relative to Earth |
|---|---|---|
| Earth (surface) | 9.81 | 1.0× |
| Moon | 1.62 | 0.17× |
| Mars | 3.72 | 0.38× |
| Jupiter (cloud top) | 24.79 | 2.53× |
| Sun (surface) | 274.0 | 27.9× |
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Fun Fact
The Hoover Dam's Lake Mead holds 36.7 km³ of water at an average height of ~150m. The gravitational potential energy stored is roughly 50 petajoules — about 12 megatons of TNT equivalent.
References
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