NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Chemical Practice Exam 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The potential energy (PE) formula is defined as PE = mgh, where 'm' represents the mass of an object, 'g' is the acceleration due to gravity, and 'h' is the height of the object above a reference level. This formula establishes that the gravitational potential energy is directly proportional to the mass and height of an object in a gravitational field.

When an object is elevated to a height 'h', work is done against the gravitational force, and this work is stored as gravitational potential energy. The greater the height or mass of the object, the more potential energy it possesses because it has the potential to do more work when it falls back to the ground.

Understanding this principle is crucial in various applications, from simple physics problems to complex engineering scenarios where energy conversion and storage are involved.