What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?

Gravitational potential energy is given by the formula ( PE = mgh ), where ( m ) represents the mass of the object, ( g ) is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately ( 9.81 , m/s^2 ) on the surface of the Earth), and ( h ) is the height of the object above a reference point, usually the ground.

This formula reflects the energy stored in an object as a result of its vertical position in a gravitational field. The greater the mass of the object or the higher it is positioned above the ground, the more gravitational potential energy it possesses.

In contexts such as calculating the energy available for an object to fall or calculating energy changes in a system, understanding this formula is essential. The other choices relate to different physics concepts: the first choice relates to linear momentum, the third corresponds to Newton's second law of motion, and the fourth describes the relationship between work, force, and distance. These do not pertain directly to gravitational potential energy.