Potential Energy

Potential energy is the stored energy in an object due to its position or configuration. In the context of rigid body mechanics, it often refers to gravitational potential energy, which depends on an object's height above a reference point. The higher the object is, the more potential energy it has, as it can do more work if it falls. This energy can be transformed into kinetic energy when the object moves. Essentially, potential energy represents the capacity to do work based on an object’s position or arrangement in a system.