potential energy

potential energy
the energy stored in a raised object (e.g. the weights in a grandfather clock). Potential energy equals mgh, where m is mass, g is the acceleration of gravity, and h is the vertical distance from a reference location. It is called potential energy because the energy can be regained when the object is lowered. This type of potential energy is sometimes called gravitational potential energy in order to distinguish it from elastic potential energy

Mechanics glossary. 2013.

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  • Potential Energy —   Energy available due to position …   Energy terms

  • Potential energy — Potential Po*ten tial, a. [Cf. F. potentiel. See {Potency}.] 1. Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential. [Obs.] And hath in his effect a voice potential. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Existing in possibility,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • potential energy — n the energy that a piece of matter has because of its position or because of the arrangement of parts * * * the energy that a body has due to its position, equal to the work required to move the body to that position from some reference… …   Medical dictionary

  • potential energy — ► NOUN Physics ▪ energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position or state. Compare with KINETIC ENERGY(Cf. ↑kinetic energy) …   English terms dictionary

  • potential energy — n. energy that is the result of relative position or structure instead of motion, as in a compressed spring …   English World dictionary

  • Potential energy — This article is about a form of energy in physics. For the statistical method, see Potential energy statistics. Classical mechanics Newton s Second Law …   Wikipedia

  • potential energy — Physics. the energy of a body or a system with respect to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system. Cf. kinetic energy. [1850 55] * * * Energy stored by an object by virtue of its position. For example, an object …   Universalium

  • potential energy — noun the mechanical energy that a body has by virtue of its position; stored energy (Freq. 5) • Syn: ↑P.E. • Hypernyms: ↑mechanical energy • Hyponyms: ↑elastic energy, ↑elastic potential energy …   Useful english dictionary

  • potential energy — po,tential energy noun uncount SCIENCE the energy that a body or system has stored because of its position or condition. For example, a raised weight has potential energy …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • potential energy — UK / US noun [uncountable] physics the energy that a body or system has stored because of its position or condition. For example, a raised weight has potential energy …   English dictionary

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