Potential Energy Calculator
mgh, and how little food energy lifting actually costs.
Work out Potential Energy. mgh, and how little food energy lifting actually costs. Answers in more than one unit, because SI is not always the legible one.
Standard gravity by definition. Local values run 9.78 to 9.83.
Potential energy (joules)
9,806.65
9.807 kJ · 2.3438 kcal
PE = mgh. The kilocalorie figure is the one worth noticing: lifting 100 kg through 10 m takes only 2.34 kcal of mechanical work — a rounding error against a day's food. Human muscle is around 25% efficient, so the metabolic cost is roughly four times this, and still small.
How the Potential Energy Calculator works
PE = mgh. The kilocalorie figure is the one worth noticing: lifting 100 kg through 10 metres takes only 2.3 kcal of mechanical work — a rounding error against a day's food, even after allowing for muscle being about 25% efficient.
Also known as: gravitational potential energy calculator · mgh calculator · potential energy formula · stored energy calculator
Frequently asked questions
What is the potential energy formula?
mgh — mass times gravity times height. Lifting 1 kg by 1 metre stores 9.81 joules.
Why is lifting so cheap in calories?
Because a food calorie is enormous compared to mechanical work. Climbing ten metres with 100 kg is about 2.3 kcal; human muscle is roughly 25% efficient, so the metabolic cost is near 9 kcal, still tiny.
Where is the zero point?
Wherever you choose. Only differences in potential energy have physical meaning, so the reference height is a convention — usually the ground or the lowest point of interest.
What happens to it when the object falls?
It converts to kinetic energy. At the moment of impact the two are equal, which this page demonstrates by showing the resulting speed.
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