Potential Energy Calculator
Calculate gravitational potential energy from mass and height.
Assumptions used in this calculation
- Uniform gravitational field: Assumes a uniform gravitational field (valid near Earth's surface) using standard gravity, 9.80665 m/s².
About this calculator
Gravitational potential energy depends on how high an object sits above a reference point, but that reference point is arbitrary, which trips people up when they try to compare potential energy between two different scenarios without first fixing a consistent zero height, leading to numbers that look meaningful but aren't actually comparable. This calculator applies PE = mgh directly, taking an object's mass in kilograms and its height in metres above whatever reference point you choose, using standard gravity (9.80665 m/s²) to compute the gravitational potential energy in joules. It's useful for physics coursework on energy conservation, estimating how much energy a raised object could release if dropped, or working through problems that convert between potential and kinetic energy as an object falls, sparing you the risk of misplacing the gravity constant or forgetting to convert height into metres before multiplying.
Worked example
10kg object at 5m height
Result: 490.3 J
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