Example of Potential Energy

Energy it is the ability of a body or system to perform work. The Potential energy is the one that is acquired by a position that is occupied, within certain field. Depending on the field that is being inhabited, the Potential Energy acquires the following classification:

Types of Potential Energy:

The Gravitational Potential Energy It is generated when the body or system is in a Gravitational Field.

The Electric Potential Energy It is one that is acquired when the body or system is within an Electric Field.

The Magnetic Potential Energy arises when the body or system is within a Magnetic Field

The Elastic Potential Energy it manifests itself when a spring is suspended at a certain level of tension, and has a latent tendency to return to its original shape.

Gravitational Potential Energy 

Potential Energy is based on Newton's second Law:

"The Force applied to an object is directly proportional to its mass, with the acceleration at which it travels."

In a Gravitational Field, the acceleration is represented by the value of the acceleration of gravity:. The product of that Force by the position of the body, which in a Gravitational Field is handled as Height or Distance, is called Gravitational Potential Energy.

Where the units are:

It is the most frequently used, to be calculated in bodies near the surface of planet Earth. The origin or point of reference for this Energy can be arbitrary. There the Energy is zero. The body that is at such a distance from that point has required an amount of Energy to be placed there. From another perspective, this means the same as the Energy that body has available to be already in that position.

The body by itself already has a mass, which, when affected by the action of gravity, becomes a force called Weight, which is obviously measured in the same units of Force.:

In such a way that the Gravitational Potential Energy can be represented as:

Examples of Gravitational Potential Energy

Example # 1: Calculate the Potential Energy of a Desk that is located on the Second Floor of a Building, at a height of 4.5 meters. Its mass is 90 Kg.

The formula to be applied is:

Solution:

Example # 2: Calculate the Potential Energy of a monolith that is on top of a hill at 10 meters vertical distance, with a mass of 1,200 Kg.

The formula to be applied is:

Solution:

Example # 3: Calculate the Potential Energy of an apple hanging from a tree branch, weighing 0.8829 Newton, at a height of 3.2 meters.

The formula to be applied is:

Elastic Potential Energy

The Elastic Potential Energy is determined by the stretching distance or pressure of the spring and by the constant of the spring of which it is a part. It is the energy stored by the spring in its tension condition.

Regardless of whether it is compression or stretching, there is a distance the spring deforms from its original shape.

It comes from the integration of the Work involved in the compression or stretching of the spring: Force (k) times Distance (x) as a function of Distance.

The Elastic Potential Energy is equivalent to this value.

Electric Potential Energy

When a positive electric charge is located in a certain place in space, and another positive charge approaches, there will be a repulsive force on the part of the first. Therefore, a potential energy will be generated in the second.

The Electric Potential Energy of a Charge is represented:

And it is based on Coulomb's Law:

The Force that affects a point electric charge as a consequence of the presence of a second point charge, is defined by: