Gravitational potential energy: mgh

Raise a mass and see its gravitational potential energy grow, and how fast it would be going if it fell back down.

Works in metric or imperial units.

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Questions students ask

What speed does a falling object reach?

If no energy is lost, mgh = ½mv², so v = √(2gh). The mass cancels out: all objects fall at the same rate without air resistance.

What formula does it use?

Eₚ = mgh: mass (kg) × gravitational field strength (N/kg) × height (m).

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