Potentiële Energie

Potential energy is the ability of a body to do work due to its position.

The gravitational potential energy change is the negative of the work done on a body by force, equal and opposite to its weight, in bringing the body to a specific position from a reference position or datum where the gravitational potential energy is considered zero.

On lifting a body, the work done by the gravitational force is negative, and so its potential energy increases. On moving the body downward, the reverse is observed.

Elastic potential energy is the negative of the work done due to the restoring force generated in a deformed elastic body that tries to restore its undeformed position.

For a compressed spring, the change in the elastic potential energy is positive, while the work done by the spring force on the mass is negative. The same is observed when the spring is stretched from an undeformed position.

If both gravitational and elastic forces act on a body, the potential energy is the sum of both energies.