Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 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.
Related terms
Work: Work is defined as the transfer of energy that occurs when an object is moved against an opposing force.
Gravitational Field: A region in space where any mass experiences a force due to gravity.