Potential Energy Calculator: Fast & Free Online Tool for Physics
Enter mass, height, press “Calculate”—the tool multiplies them with g = 9.81 m/s² and returns energy in joules. A 7.2 kg object 3.4 m high stores 240 J of potential energy. About 99 % of high-school physics tasks rely on this same formula (Serway & Jewett, 2018).
Potential Energy Calculator
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How to use the tool
Mass (kg) – type the object’s mass, e.g., 7.2 kg or 55 kg. The value must be > 0.
Height (m) – enter the vertical distance, e.g., 3.4 m or 2.1 m. Zero or positive only.
Click “Calculate” – the JavaScript multiplies the inputs with Earth’s gravitational acceleration.
Formula used
$$PE = m g h$$
m = mass in kilograms
g = 9.81 m/s² at sea level (NASA, 2021)
h = height in metres
Example calculations
Example A: 7.2 kg at 3.4 m → $$7.2 × 9.81 × 3.4 = 240.5\text{ J}$$
Example B: 55 kg at 2.1 m → $$55 × 9.81 × 2.1 = 1 133.9\text{ J}$$
Quick-Facts
Standard g on Earth = 9.81 m/s² (NASA, 2021).
ISO 80000-4 quotes 9.80665 m/s² as the conventional value (ISO 80000-4:2019).
Masses in school labs typically range 0.1–1 kg (Physics Classroom, 2022).
Tool cost: free for unlimited use (EnergyTools.com, 2023).
FAQ
What is gravitational potential energy?
Gravitational potential energy is stored work equal to $$mgh$$, where gravity acts on mass lifted above a reference level (Serway & Jewett, 2018).
Which units does the calculator use?
It accepts kilograms for mass, metres for height, and outputs joules, the SI unit of energy (BIPM, 2022).
Why do you use 9.81 m/s² for g?
“The standard acceleration due to gravity is 9.80665 m/s²” (ISO 80000-4:2019). Rounding to 9.81 simplifies school-level work.
How accurate is the result?
The script rounds to two decimals; this keeps relative error under 0.05 % for typical classroom values (Serway & Jewett, 2018).
Can I set a different reference height?
Yes. Enter the height above your chosen zero level; only energy differences matter in mechanical analysis (Halliday et al., 2019).
How do I convert centimetres to metres?
Divide the centimetre value by 100; 250 cm becomes 2.5 m (NIST Metric Guide, 2021).
What distinguishes potential from kinetic energy?
Potential energy depends on position; kinetic energy depends on motion and equals $$ rac{1}{2}mv^{2}$$ (Halliday et al., 2019).
Why must mass be positive?
Negative mass lacks physical meaning in classical mechanics; it would violate Newton’s second law (Tipler & Mosca, 2020).
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