Calculate the potential energy (height energy) of an object based on its mass and height above the ground.
Potential energy (E), also called height energy, is the energy an object has by virtue of its position in a gravitational field. It's calculated as the mass (m) multiplied by gravitational acceleration (g) and the height (h) above a chosen reference level, measured in joules (J).
The calculator uses g = 9.81 m/s², the standard gravitational acceleration near Earth's surface.
Potential energy is "stored" energy that can convert into kinetic energy (motion energy) — for example when the object falls. See the free fall calculator to find the fall speed, or the kinetic energy calculator to see how much kinetic energy is released.
Potential energy is energy an object has stored because of its position, not because it's moving. An object high up has the potential to do work or gain kinetic energy when it falls.
9.81 m/s² is the standard value for gravitational acceleration near Earth's surface. It varies slightly with latitude and altitude, but 9.81 is the most common rounding used in school and engineering calculations.
As an object falls, potential energy gradually converts to kinetic energy. In the absence of air resistance, the potential energy the object loses equals the kinetic energy it gains — this is called conservation of mechanical energy.