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Gravitational Potential Energy

Gravitational Potential Energy is part of Toolspire and is ready as soon as this page loads. g defaults to 9.81 m/s². Height is measured from whatever zero you care about: the floor, the table, sea level. The page does not choose the zero.

Runs in this tabFreeNo account

Mass (kg)Height (m)g (m/s²)

Result

9.81 J

m g h with the g you typed. The height zero is yours.

On this page

What you can do here

g is a box

The moon, or a 9.8 approximation, is a number you type. It is not hidden.

The zero is yours

Only height differences move energy. The absolute zero is a choice.

Joules when units match

Kilograms, metres and m/s². Grams or centimetres need converting.

The sequence

How to use the Gravitational Potential Energy

1
Pick a height zero and stay with it
Tabletop and floor zeros differ by the table height times m g.
2
Leave 9.81 unless you mean a different g
Typing 10 is a common school approximation and will not match 9.81.
3
Check 9.81
One kilogram lifted one metre.

Worth knowing

Gravitational Potential Energy on Toolspire: PE = m × g × h.
1 × 9.81 × 1 = 9.81 J.
g is editable. 9.81 is a standard near-Earth value, not a measurement of your lab.
Height can be negative if your zero is above the object. Energy then comes back negative relative to that zero.

Energy relative to a height you chose

Near a planet, the simple potential energy is mass times gravitational field times height above a zero you picked. One kilogram, 9.81 m/s² and one metre is 9.81 joules. Lift the same mass another metre and you add another 9.81 joules. The formula is not the general −GMm/r potential, so it is the classroom mgh, not an orbit.

FAQ

Questions about Gravitational Potential Energy

Where does Gravitational Potential Energy run?

Gravitational Potential Energy runs in this tab on Toolspire. What you type or drop in is not sent to us and is not stored on a server.

What is m g h for 1 kg, 9.81 and 1 m?

9.81 joules.

Can I use g = 10?

Yes. Type 10. The energy becomes 10 joules for the same mass and height.

What if height is negative?

The energy is negative relative to your zero. That is allowed.

Is this orbital potential?

No. It is m g h, the near-surface approximation.

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Last updated 23 October 2026Report a problem or suggest a feature