Potential Energy Calculator
Find gravitational potential energy, mass or height with PE = mgh, on Earth or on another world.
PE = m g h
Solve for
PE
Potential energy
J
1 sig figs: 6000
≡
Same value in
0.006377 MJ · 1,524 cal · 1.524 kcal
- Rearrange: PE = m g h
- Substitute: m = 65 kg, g = 9.81 m/s², h = 10 m (converted to SI units first).
- Result: PE = 6,376.5 J, rounded to 1 significant figures because the least precise input has 1.
Use g = 9.81 m/s² on Earth, 1.62 on the Moon, 3.71 on Mars.
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0/1500
Surface gravity of the planets
Use these values for g. Source: NASA Planetary Fact Sheet.
| Body | g (m/s²) |
|---|---|
| Mercury | 3.7 |
| Venus | 8.87 |
| Earth | 9.81 |
| Moon | 1.62 |
| Mars | 3.71 |
| Jupiter | 24.79 |
| Saturn | 10.44 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the gravitational potential energy formula?
PE = mgh: mass (kg) × gravitational field strength (9.81 m/s² on Earth) × height (m) gives joules. Lifting a 65 kg person 10 m stores 65 × 9.81 × 10 = 6.4 kJ.
Height measured from where?
From any reference level you choose, usually the floor or the lowest point in the problem. Only changes in PE matter physically, so the choice cancels out as long as you are consistent.
How is potential energy converted to kinetic energy?
Ignoring friction, the PE lost equals KE gained: mgh = ½mv², so an object dropped from height h lands at v = √(2gh), independent of mass.
Is PE = mgh always valid?
Only near a planet’s surface, where g is roughly constant. For satellites and space travel use PE = −GMm ÷ r instead.
What about elastic potential energy?
A stretched spring stores ½kx², where k is the spring constant and x the extension. That is a different formula from gravitational PE.