Potential energy

Potential energy is the energy available within a physical system due to an object's position in conjunction with a conservative force which acts upon it (such as the gravitational force or Coulomb force). When an object is moved from some reference position in opposition to a force, energy is expended and a potential difference is created. The energy supplied in attaining the new position is recovered when the object is allowed to return to the reference position (in other words, the energy has the potential to be released).

There are a number of different types of potential energy, each associated with a particular kind of force. For example, the work of elastic force is called elastic potential energy; work of gravitational force is called gravitational potential energy, work of the Coulomb force is called electric potential energy; work of strong nuclear force or weak nuclear force acting on the baryon charge is called nuclear potential energy; work of intermolecular forces is called intermolecular potential energy. Chemical potential energy is the work of Coulomb force during rearrangement of mutual positions of electrons and nuclei in atoms and molecules. Thermal energy usually has two components: the kinetic energy of random motion of particles and potential energy of their mutual positions.

The phrase 'potential energy' was coined by William Rankine.