Potential energy | Physics | Khan Academy

Potential energy exists in a system of interacting objects. The amount of potential energy depends on the objects' relative positions. If two objects attract gravitationally or electrically, potential energy increases as they get farther apart. If two objects repel electrically, potential energy increases as they get closer. Elastic and chemical potential energy are fundamentally the result of electric potential energy at the particle level.

Sections:
00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Intuition behind potential energy
01:48 - Potential energy is a property of a system
03:15 - Gravitational potential energy
06:48 - Electric potential energy (opposite charges)
08:25 - Electric potential energy (like charges)
09:46 - Zero reference point for potential energy
12:48 - Manifestations of electric potential energy

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[karicartes]

i had this idea on my mind just yesterday. im grateful that it is visually and verbally explained

[thesimplicitylifestyle]

My car runs on the potential energy stored in the gas, which came from oil, which came from prehistoric plants, which got their energy from the Sun. So technically my car is solar powered with a couple of extra steps for energy storage. 😎🤖

[ajeebmondal]

I know you sir .... ❤❤
Float Head physics 🤭🤭🌼

[Nathan-vtjz]

How does entropy factor in? If potential energy has to do with arrangement between things and energy must be conserved, how does the dispersion of entropy factor in? Over time does kinetic energy account for more of the energy in a closed system?

So at the extreme end of things, would the hypothetical heat death of the universe be a stable state of 100% kinetic energy with 0% potential, and without external alteration of arrangement cannot gain potential energy. Energy is always conserved, but it’s also dispersed so is it never truly at 100% efficiency between potential and kinetic? (No perpetual motion or perfect engines).

[itsmoonsault]

you said that potential energy increases with height but what if the height is so high that it's out of the Earth's gravitational field. It means potential energy is not maximum at infinite distance

[Genkstri]

I'm now confused after studying elastic potential energy under " energy " and then under " mechanical properties of solids " 😂