What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?

Gravitational potential energy is given by the formula that incorporates mass, gravitational field strength, and height. The correct expression, mass multiplied by gravitational field strength and height, captures the essential components necessary for calculating potential energy in a gravitational field.

Mass represents the quantity of matter in an object, gravitational field strength signifies the force experienced by a unit mass in that field (usually denoted by "g" for Earth's gravity, approximately 9.8 N/kg), and height refers to the vertical displacement of the mass from a reference level. When these three variables are multiplied together, the resulting value provides the gravitational potential energy, which indicates the energy stored due to an object's position above a reference point.

This formula illustrates how gravitational potential energy increases with either an increase in mass (more matter means more energy), an increase in the strength of the gravitational field (as encountered on different planets or celestial bodies), or an increase in height (the higher an object is positioned, the more potential energy it has).