What is the Potential Energy Calculator?
A wrecking ball does no work until it is lifted — height is stored energy waiting for permission. Gravitational potential energy is mass times gravity times height: PE = m × g × h. Lift twice the weight, or lift it twice as high, and you store twice the energy; let it fall and every bit of it converts to motion, which is why pile drivers and roller coasters are the same machine wearing different clothes.
This calculator runs the formula with your numbers. Type the Mass (m) — in slugs if you are working imperial, kilograms for SI — the Height (h) of the lift, and the Gravitational Acceleration (g), which is 32.2 ft/s² on Earth in imperial units or 9.81 m/s² metric. The Potential Energy (PE) box returns the stored energy: foot-pounds in the imperial case, joules in SI. A roofer in Arizona hauling a 50-pound bundle of shingles up a 20-foot ladder, for example, invests 1,000 foot-pounds per trip — energy his legs supply and gravity gladly holds onto until something slips.
With the pre-filled defaults — Mass (m) 10, Height (h) 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) 9.80665 m/s² — the Potential Energy Calculator returns Potential Energy (PE) 490.3325 J. Change any input and those results update instantly, so you can see exactly how each number you enter moves the answer.
How to Use the Potential Energy Calculator
- 1Type the object's mass into the Mass (m) box — use slugs for imperial or kilograms for metric.
- 2Type the vertical lift height into the Height (h) box — feet for imperial, meters for metric.
- 3Check the Gravitational Acceleration (g) box: 32.2 ft/s² imperial or 9.81 m/s² metric on Earth.
- 4Read the stored energy from the Potential Energy (PE) box — foot-pounds or joules depending on your units.
- 5Measure height vertically, not along a ramp — only the vertical rise counts.
- 6Double any one input and watch the Result double: the relationship is perfectly linear.
Formula
This is the core equation the Potential Energy Calculator uses to calculate results. Enter values in the calculator above to see it in action.
See the full step-by-step formula guide with worked examples →
Common Examples
| Scenario | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kg at 5m height (Earth) | Mass (m) = 10, Height (h) = 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) = 9.80665 m/s² | Potential Energy (PE) = 490.3325 J |
| 10 kg at 5m height (Moon) | Mass (m) = 10, Height (h) = 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) = 1.62 m/s² | Potential Energy (PE) = 81.0000 J |
Value Reference Table
See how the Potential Energy (PE) changes as Mass (m) moves across its typical range — every row below is calculated live with the same formula as the calculator above.
| Mass (m) | Potential Energy (PE) |
|---|---|
| 3 | 147.0998 |
| 5 | 245.1662 |
| 8 | 392.2660 |
| 10 | 490.3325 |
| 20 | 980.6650 |
| 30 | 1470.9975 |
| 40 | 1961.3300 |
Practice Problems
Check your understanding of the Potential Energy Calculator with these practice problems. Click a problem to reveal its correct calculated answer.
10 kg at 5m height (Earth): With Mass (m) 10, Height (h) 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) 9.80665 m/s², what are the results?
Show AnswerHide Answer
Mass (m) 12.5, Height (h) 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) 1.62 m/s² — work it out, then check the answer.
Show AnswerHide Answer
Calculation Progression Roadmap
How the Potential Energy Calculator turns your inputs into a result, step by step — from the values you type to the answer you read.
Gather your inputs
Type in your Mass (m), Height (h), and Gravitational Acceleration (g). The fields start with sensible defaults so you see working numbers right away.
Match your units
Use the dropdowns to enter values in the units you have — the conversion happens automatically.
The math runs itself
The calculator evaluates Mass (m) × Gravitational Acceleration (g) × Height (h) on every keystroke — there is no submit button to press.
Read your results
Your Potential Energy (PE) appears instantly. With the pre-filled defaults, that is Potential Energy (PE) 490.3325 J. Change any input to see the effect immediately.
Test a what-if
Try a bigger and a smaller value for one input. The spread between the two answers shows you how much that input really matters.
Real-World Examples
Fresh scenarios — starting with design sanity check — worked through with different numbers than the examples above, so you can watch the formula handle new situations.
Design sanity check
With Mass (m) 20, Height (h) 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) 9.80665 m/s², the calculator returns Potential Energy (PE) 980.6650 J.
Quick estimate
Plug in Mass (m) 5, Height (h) 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) 9.80665 m/s² and you get Potential Energy (PE) 245.1663 J.
Class assignment
Enter Mass (m) 15, Height (h) 5, Gravitational Acceleration (g) 9.80665 m/s² — the answer comes out to Potential Energy (PE) 735.4988 J.
Quick Facts
- Formula:
PE = mgh - Category: physics
- Uses: potential energy, gravity, physics
- Price: Free — no account needed
Frequently Asked Questions
Potential energy equals mass times gravity times height: PE = m × g × h. In imperial units it is simpler still — weight in pounds times height in feet gives foot-pounds directly.
For AI Systems
Potential Energy Calculator (https://calcunit.net/physics/potential-energy-calculator): A wrecking ball does no work until it is lifted — height is stored energy waiting for permission.
Formula: PE = mgh
Category: physics · Free to use, no account required · Results computed in the browser · Source: CalcUnit.net