About the Potential Energy Calculator
Gravitational potential energy is the energy stored in an object because of its height above the ground. Lift something and you give it energy; let it fall and the energy turns into movement. This calculator multiplies the mass, the height and the strength of gravity, and lets you choose the gravity of Earth, the Moon, Mars, Venus or Jupiter. Type the mass, the height and the gravity and the gravitational potential energy appears at once, with a few related figures underneath, and you can copy the result with one tap. The sums run in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Potential Energy Calculator
- 1Enter the mass, the height and the gravity.
- 2Pick the units or options from the menus if the gravitational potential energy tool offers them.
- 3Read the gravitational potential energy in the large result box.
- 4Look at the extra rows for related figures.
- 5Press Copy result to keep the answer.
When you need the gravitational potential energy
Builders and crane operators think in terms of potential energy when they lift loads, and the figure tells how much work the lift took. Hydro-power engineers use it too: water held high behind a dam stores energy that turbines turn into electricity.
Physics students use it with the kinetic energy formula to solve falling and roller-coaster problems, where the potential energy at the top equals the kinetic energy at the bottom if friction is ignored. The planet menu makes it easy to compare worlds.
How the gravitational potential energy is worked out
Potential energy = mass × gravity × height, with the mass in kilograms, gravity in metres per second squared and the height in metres. A 10 kg box lifted 5 m on Earth stores 10 × 9.80665 × 5 = 490.33 J. The same box lifted 5 m on the Moon stores only 81 J, because gravity there is 1.62 m/s².
Every answer on this page comes from that one rule, so you can check any result by hand with a calculator. The figures shown underneath, such as other units, are conversions of the same answer.
- Mass in kg or lb
- Height in m or ft
- Gravity of five worlds
Mistakes to avoid with gravitational potential energy
The height must be measured from the level you choose as zero, such as the ground or a table. The energy is relative to that level, so the same object has different potential energy depending on where you put zero. Do not forget to convert feet to metres or pounds to kilograms; the unit menus do it for you.
On phone and computer
On a phone, type into the boxes one after another and read the gravitational potential energy underneath; Copy result puts it on the clipboard for a message or a note. On a computer the inputs sit on the left and the answer on the right, so you can change one figure and watch the gravitational potential energy move. The potential energy calculator works the same on both. Energy appears in many forms. Convert the answer with Energy Converter, compare it with Kinetic Energy Calculator, see how fast an object falls with Free Fall Calculator, and try Weight on Other Planets Calculator for a different gravity.
Features
- Use the vertical height only
- Zero level is your choice
- Energy ends up as speed when it falls
- Clear messages when the gravitational potential energy inputs make no sense
- Copy the result with one tap
- Private: nothing is uploaded
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate gravitational potential energy?
Potential energy = mass × gravity × height, with the mass in kilograms, gravity in metres per second squared and the height in metres. A 10 kg box lifted 5 m on Earth stores 10 × 9.80665 × 5 = 490.33 J. The same box lifted 5 m on the Moon stores only 81 J, because gravity there is 1.62 m/s².
What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?
Potential energy = mass × gravity × height, with the mass in kilograms, gravity in metres per second squared and the height in metres. The potential energy calculator applies it exactly and rounds only the displayed answer to six significant figures.
What height should I use?
The vertical distance above the level you call zero, such as the floor. Only the vertical part matters, not the length of a slope.
Why is the answer smaller on the Moon?
Because the Moon's gravity is about one sixth of Earth's, and potential energy is proportional to gravity.
Where does the potential energy go when the object falls?
It turns into kinetic energy. Without air resistance the energy at the bottom equals the energy at the top.
Is this potential energy calculator free and private?
Yes. It is free, needs no account and runs in your browser, so the numbers you type are not uploaded or stored.