Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
Gravitational potential energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its position in a gravitational field. It represents the work done to move the object from a reference point (usually at infinity) to its current position.