noun
potential energy
puh-TEN-shuhl EN-er-jee
Potential energy (noun) means the energy stored in an object because of its position, shape or condition, which can be released as movement or another form of energy. Example: “A book on a high shelf has more gravitational potential energy than one on the floor.”
noun
1
The energy stored in an object because of its position, shape or condition, which can be released as movement or another form of energy.
"A book on a high shelf has more gravitational potential energy than one on the floor."
"Stretching the elastic stores potential energy in the band."
2
In chemistry, the energy held in the bonds between atoms, released or absorbed when those bonds break and reform.
"Fuels store chemical potential energy that is released during combustion."
How to use potential energy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEnergy something has stored up because of where it is or how it is stretched, ready to be released.
When to use it
Standard scientific vocabulary, taught from school physics onwards.
Memory tip
The gravitational formula is mass times gravity times height, so doubling the height doubles the stored energy.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
gravitational potential energy
elastic potential energy
chemical potential energy
convert potential energy into kinetic energy
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A book on a high shelf has more gravitational _____ than one on the floor.
Synonyms
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stored energy
latent energy
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for potential energy
See all rhymes for potential energy →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between potential and kinetic energy?
Potential energy is stored and depends on position or condition; kinetic energy is the energy of actual motion and depends on mass and speed. A roller coaster at the top of a hill is full of potential energy, which turns into kinetic energy as it drops.
What are the main types of potential energy?
Gravitational potential energy comes from height in a gravitational field; elastic potential energy comes from stretching or compressing something like a spring; chemical potential energy is stored in molecular bonds. Nuclear and electrical potential energy work on the same principle at different scales.
Can potential energy be negative?
Yes, because it is always measured relative to a chosen reference point. Physicists often set the zero point at an infinite distance from a mass, which makes gravitational potential energy negative for anything closer than that. The sign is a bookkeeping choice, not a sign of anything unusual.
What is the meaning of potential energy?
"potential energy" (noun) means the energy stored in an object because of its position, shape or condition, which can be released as movement or another form of energy.
