What Is Potential Energy?

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A large sandstone boulder rests precariously over a steep slope. The boulder has potential energy relative to the slope, as it appears to be ready to fall at any moment and slide hundreds of feet into the valley below.
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▼ Potential energy is the latent energy in an object at rest, and is one of two forms of energy. The other form, kinetic energy, is the energy expressed by an object in motion. Potential energy is a core concept of any physics-based discussion, and one of the most influential variables in the formulas that describe our known universe.
Potential energy is essentially what it sounds like, though there are a few intricacies involved. The actual potential energy of an object depends on its position relative to other objects. For example, a brick has more potential energy suspended off of a two-story building than it does resting on the ground. That's because the brick's relative position to the Earth gives it more energy. Two bricks next to each other don't give each other more energy though, because there is no force acting on them.
The same principle can be applied on any scale, be it galactic or atomic. Indeed, atomspossess potential energy as well, though their constant movement shifts much of their potential energy into kinetic energy.
How to calculate potential energy (▪ ▪ ▪)

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