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GCSE Combined Science · key term
Energy associated with an object's height in a gravitational field.
Used by AQA and Edexcel
Specification 6.1.1.2 · Paper 5, Paper 6
The energy associated with an object's position in a gravitational field. Raising an object increases the gravitational potential energy of the object–Earth system.
Revise: Calculating Energy ChangesWhen the object falls, its gravitational potential energy decreases. The same equation calculates the amount lost, using the vertical distance fallen.
Paper 5, Paper 6
Revise: Energy stores, transfers and conservationIf air resistance is negligible, the decrease in gravitational potential energy equals the increase in kinetic energy. With air resistance, some energy also transfers to thermal stores of the ball and surroundings. The ball gains less kinetic energy, but energy has not disappeared.
Energy stored because of an object's position in a gravitational field, measured relative to a chosen height.
Only equate the decrease in gravitational potential energy to the increase in kinetic energy when other energy transfers can be neglected.
For gravitational potential energy, use the vertical height gained, not the distance travelled along a slope or staircase.
Use the distance moved in the direction of the force. For gravitational potential energy, use the change in vertical height, not the length of a slope.
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