What is Gravitational Potential Energy?

o Potential energy due

to an object’s
position.
o P.E. = mass x
height x gravity

Don’t look down,

Rover!
Good boy!
 Gravitational Potential Energy

Depends on:
1)Mass
2)Height of object (more height =
more potential).
3)Gravity pulling on object (objects on
earth would have more potential
energy than objects on the moon due
to more gravitational pull on earth).
 What is Elastic Potential Energy?
o Potential energy due to expansion or
compression of an elastic object.

Notice the ball compressing

and expanding
 Elastic Potential Energy
• Examples:
 What is Chemical Potential Energy?
o Potential energy
stored within the
chemical bonds of
an object
Chemical Potential Energy
Factors that Affect Potential
Energy

• m = mass (kg)
• h = height (m)
• g = accel due to
gravity
– (9.8 m/s2)
Factors that Affect Potential
Energy

• Mass= the more

mass an object
has, the more
potential energy it
has.
Factors that Affect Potential
Energy

• Height = the higher the

object is placed, the more
potential energy it has.
Factors that Affect Potential
Energy

• Gravity = the more

gravity pulling on
an object, the more
potential energy it
has.
Factors that Affect Kinetic
Energy

• Mass = the more

mass an object has,
the more kinetic
energy it has.
Why would a high speed collision
cause more damage than a low
speed collision?
Factors that Affect Kinetic
Energy

• Speed or Velocity
= the more speed
an object has the
more kinetic
energy it has.