Potential Energy

The Potential energy (PE) is termed as the energy of position. By using English system units, it is defined by the equation shown below:

Here:

PE = potential energy (ft-lbf)

m = mass (lbm)

z = height over some reference level (ft)

g = acceleration due to gravity (ft/sec²)

g_c = gravitational constant = 32.17 ft-lbm/lbf-sec²

In most of the practical engineering computations, the acceleration due to gravity (g) is numerically equivalent to the gravitational constant (g_c); therefore, the potential energy (PE) in foot-pounds-force is numerically equivalent to the product of the mass (m) in pounds-mass times the height (z) in feet over some reference level.