What is Potential Energy?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Potential Energy is the energy that is stored in some way. For example, chemical bonds store energy.
When Chemical Bonds are broken, energy is released. The is called chemical potential energy.  Think of when a log is burned: The molecules fall apart and the wood releases energy in the form of heat, light, and sound.
Objects that have energy due to their position in a field (electrical, magnetic, gravitational). A very large boulder on a cliff has a lot of gravitational potential energy. If you push the rock over the edge, it will gain a lot of kinetic energy and move very fast. The idea is similar for electric charges in an electric field (called electric potential energy) and magnetically charged objects in a magnetic field (called magnetic potential energy).

What Is Potential Energy