potential energy
energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects or stresses within itself, rather than its velocity
AI overview
Potential energy is energy that an object stores based on where it is positioned or what stresses exist within it, rather than how fast it's moving. This matters because understanding this stored energy helps us predict how objects will behave and how much energy will be released when their position or internal state changes.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
In physics, potential energy is the energy of an object or system due to the body's position relative to other objects, or the configuration of its particles. The energy is equal to the work done against any restoring forces, such as gravity or those in a spring.
The term potential energy was introduced by the 19th-century Scottish engineer and physicist William Rankine, although it has links to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's concept of potentiality.