¶¶ Potential Energy:-
The energy possessed by a body by virtue of its state or position is known as potential energy.
Expression: P.E.=mgh
Examples:
1.Water on hill top and stretched or compressed spring possess potential energy.
2.stone at a certain height.
3.The spring wound in a watch possesses potential energy
4.An arrow in a bowl possesses potential energy.
¶¶ Gravitational potential energy :-
The Potential energy due to height above the earth’s surface is called gravitational potential energy.
In general, if the potential energy at the ground is taken as zero, the potential energy of an object at a height h above the ground is given by
U = mgh
The energy results from the force of attraction mg between the earth and the object.From newton’s third law, both earth and the object attract each other. Hence, strictly speaking energy ‘mgh’ is not the potential energy of the object alone it is the potential energy of object-earth system.