Potential energy can be defined as the energy stored in an object due to the object’s relative position in a system with other objects. The system components that exert forces on one another of varying magnitudes depending on the component’s configuration, or relative location, will generate the potential energy. Potential energy of a system is determined only by its initial and final points; it is not affected by the pathway that the particles or objects take.

Potential Energy Examples

• Consider the case of a bow and arrow; as the position of the string is displaced from its equilibrium position, the arrow will have more potential energy; after releasing the string, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, resulting in the bow travelling a greater distance after the stress from the string has been released.
• The water flowing down from the top of the dam or waterfall can rotate a turbine to generate electricity converting potential energy present in water falling from the dam or waterfall into electric energy.
• Nuclear energy is also a type of potential energy. The nucleons stay in their equilibrium position, forming a highly stable system, having a very high potential energy that can be converted into nuclear energy by fission and fusion.
• The vehicles on the slope of any mountain have potential energy stored due to height. The potential energy converts into kinetic energy when vehicles move down the slope of the mountain.
• When the electrons are displaced from their equilibrium position in a chemical bond, the potential energy stored in chemical bonds radiates energy in the form of electromagnetic waves.

Type of Potential Energy

Potential energy can be categorised into the three main categories: 

• Gravitational Potential Energy
• Electrostatic Potential Energy
• Elastic Potential Energy

Gravitational Potential Energy

The gravitational potential energy can be defined as the energy stored in an object when it is lifted up to a certain height against gravity. The gravitational energy is not proportional to the object’s distance travelled. It is dependent on the difference between the object’s beginning and ending heights, which is the object’s displacement. 

The following formula can calculate the gravitational potential,

W = mgh

W = Potential Energy

m = mass of the object

g = Acceleration due to gravity

h = height

Elastic Potential Energy

The energy stored in the compressible and stretchable things like springs and wires while stretching is referred to as the elastic potential energy. The more the ability of a thing to stretch, the greater the amount of elastic potential energy is stored in that thing.

The mathematical form of the elastic potential energy: U = ½ Kx2

Where U denotes the elastic potential energy, k denotes the spring force constant, and x is the string’s stretch length.

An item that accumulates elastic potential energy will often have a high elastic limit; yet, all elastic things have a limit to the amount of force they can withstand before breaking. After being distorted past its elastic limit, the item is no longer capable of returning to its original form.

Electrostatic Potential Energy

Electrical potential energy is defined as the amount of energy required to move any charged particle from infinity to a specific point in the presence of an external electric field generated from any other charged particle. It can also be described as the total potential energy that a unit charge will have if it were to be positioned at any location in outer space. Electric potential energy is a scalar quantity. It is measured in Joules and is denoted by the letter U. The electric potential energy of the system, U, between two charges q1 and q2 are separated by a distance d, and εo is the permittivity of the space.

U = [1/(4πεo)] × [q1q2/d]

A system like atomic nuclei having a positive charge because of protons and electrons is an example of electrostatic potential energy, which this equation can easily explain.

Summary 

Potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its relative position with other objects in a system. It has many categories like gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, chemical potential energy, electrical potential energy, and nuclear potential energy. However, gravitational potential energy, electrostatic potential energy, and elastic potential energy are the three main types of potential energy, which have been described in detail with examples above.