Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
potential energy
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
potential and kinetic energy
Examine how water held back by Egypt's Aswan High Dam turns turbines to generate electricity
potential energy landscape potential energy potential energy as a function of elongation of a fissioning nucleus Potential-energy curve. The activation energy represents the minimum amount of energy required to transform reactants into products in a chemical reaction. The value of the activation energy is equivalent to the difference in potential energy between particles in an intermediate configuration (known as the transition state, or activated complex) and particles of reactants in their initial state. The activation energy thus can be visualized as a barrier that must be overcome by reactants before products can be formed.
Uncover the forces of potential energy, kinetic energy, and friction behind a grandfather clock's pendulum
Watch how a tire-swing pendulum demonstrates the law of conservation of energy
Hear about the proof suggesting an absence of absolute time implies the law of conservation of energy and that force conserves energy
Quizzes
Electric power lines against sunset (grid, power, wires, electrical, electricity)
Energy & Fossil Fuels
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
27 True-or-False Questions from Britannica’s Most Difficult Science Quizzes
Related Questions
Read Next
Highway Night Traffic Portland, drive, driving, car, automobile.
What's the Difference Between Speed and Velocity?
Above the clouds 130 nautical miles below, astronaut Mark C. Lee floats freely without tethers as he tests the new Simplified Aid for Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Spacewalk Rescue (SAFER) system, Sept. 16, 1994. Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-64
Gravity: From Apples to the Universe
Discover
halloween, jack o lantern, pumpkin, gourd
Why Do We Carve Pumpkins at Halloween?
Globe South America, map
What’s the Difference Between Hispanic and Latino?
Andrew Jackson delivering a speech while on his way to Washington, D.C., for his inauguration in 1829. From Harper's Weekly, 1881.
5 Remarkably Close U.S. Presidential Elections
Philippine President Corazon Aquino (b. Maria Corazon Cojuangco) greets officials in airport terminal. Andrews Air Force Base, U.S., Maryland September 15, 1986. President of the Philippines 1986-1992.
6 of the First Women to Become Heads of State
United States electoral college map showing number of electoral votes by state.
How Does the Electoral College Work?
Election - Button that says Vote. Badge pin stars and stripes politics campaign
Why Are U.S. Elections Held on Tuesdays?
An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.
11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
potential and kinetic energy
potential and kinetic energy Potential energy is stored energy, whereas kinetic energy is the energy of moving things. In these examples, potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy.

potential energy

physics
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/science/potential-energy
Also known as: stored energy
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: • Article History

potential energy, stored energy that depends upon the relative position of various parts of a system. A spring has more potential energy when it is compressed or stretched. A steel ball has more potential energy raised above the ground than it has after falling to Earth. In the raised position it is capable of doing more work. Potential energy is a property of a system and not of an individual body or particle; the system composed of Earth and the raised ball, for example, has more potential energy as the two are farther separated. Potential energy arises in systems with ...(100 of 507 words)

Access the full article
Trust your source with Britannica Premium
• 7-Day Free Trial
• No Ads
• Unlimited Access
Subscribe