Gravitational Potential Energy Calculator

Enter the mass and current height above y=0 to determine the gravitational potential energy of an object.

Gravitational potential energy is the potential energy an object contains due to it’s mass and the force of gravity with respect to another object, often times a massive object such as the earth.

The formula for gravitational potential energy is the following:

U = – G*M*m/r

Where U is the potential energy, G is the gravitational constant, M is mass 1, m is mass 2, and r is the radius between the two objects.

When looking at the potential energy of an object on earth, this can be simplified into the following:

U= m * g * h

Where U is potential energy, g is the acceleration due to earths gravity, and h is height from surface.

Potential energy is the possible energy an object contains due to gravity. If an object were to obtain all of that energy, it would then be converted into kinetic energy.

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