Potential Energy

• Potential energy is inactive energy. It includes any form of energy where work is not being done, but the capacity to do work exists.

• Potential energy involves some type of energy storage.

• Examples of potential energy include:

• Gravitational potential energy – a type of mechanical potential energy where energy is stored in an object as the result of its elevation.

• Elastic potential energy – a type of mechanical potential energy where energy is stored in an object as a result of being stretched or compressed.

• Electrical potential energy – energy stored when charged particles are separated.

• Chemical energy – energy stored in the chemical bonds of molecules.

• Nuclear energy – energy stored in the nuclei of atoms.

• We will look more closely at the different types of potential energy in a following lesson.

Potential energy is stored energy.

(Images: Sanhanat, Adobe Stock; 15Studio, Adobe Stock; Robert, Wikimedia Commons)