Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words (original) (raw)

potential energy

[ p_uh_-ten-sh_uh_l en-er-jee ]

1. the energy of a body or a system with respect to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system.

noun

1. the energy of a body or system as a result of its position in an electric, magnetic, or gravitational field. It is measured in joules (SI units), electronvolts, ergs, etc
   EpVUφ
   PE

2. The energy possessed by a body as a result of its position or condition rather than its motion. A raised weight, coiled spring, or charged battery has potential energy.

3. The energy
   an object has because of its position, rather than its motion. An object held in a person's hand has potential energy, which turns to kinetic energy
   — the energy of motion — when the person lets it go, and it drops to the ground.

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Discover More

Example Sentences

The arm muscles served as a motor, funneling potential energy into the finger tendons, which became springs.

I felt its wide presence on the asphalt, and the potential energy of its engine.

So, in other words, more potential energy was stored as compared to the single arm of the archer when using a hand-bow.

In fatigue the potential energy of the cell is gradually dissipated.

The latent potential energy of the psychoplasm is transformed into kinetic energy.

It is in this movement that the potential energy of the former is converted into the kinetic energy of the latter.

This then is what we shall call energy; the first term we shall call potential energy and the second kinetic energy.

It is necessary that U can be regarded as the potential energy of a system and T as the vis viva of the same system.