Gravitational potential energy calculator

Potential energy change = mass × local gravitational acceleration × height change.

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Mass (kg)

Height change (meters)

More inputs and assumptions

Local gravitational acceleration (m/s²)

Answer

…

Potential energy change = mass × local gravitational acceleration × height change.

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Precision and calculation record

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Formula and assumptions

The editable acceleration is an example assumption. This near-surface approximation treats gravity as constant over the height change.

Automatic precision shows numbers to 12 significant digits. Thousands separators such as 1,000 are accepted; use a dot for decimals.

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Updated 2026-09-26

Using Gravitational potential energy calculator

Potential energy change = mass × local gravitational acceleration × height change.

The editable acceleration is an example assumption. This near-surface approximation treats gravity as constant over the height change.

Next: Basic calculator

A worked example

With mass (kg) = 10, height change (meters) = 5, local gravitational acceleration (m/s²) = 9.8, the potential energy change (j) is 490.

Before you use the result

The editable acceleration is an example assumption. This near-surface approximation treats gravity as constant over the height change.

Example results for mass (kg)

These examples use Height change (meters): 5; Local gravitational acceleration (m/s²): 9.8. They are reference calculations, not recommended settings.

Mass (kg)	Potential energy change (J)
5	245
10	490
20	980

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ToolOctopus. “Gravitational potential energy calculator.” Updated 2026-09-26. https://tooloctopus.com/gravitational-potential-energy-calculator.

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