What type of energy store is possessed by anything in a gravitational field?

Gravitational potential energy is the type of energy stored in an object due to its position in a gravitational field. When an object is lifted to a certain height above the ground, it possesses gravitational potential energy because of the pull of gravity acting on it. The higher the object is raised, the more gravitational potential energy it has, as this energy is directly related to both its mass and the height above the reference point, usually the ground.

This form of energy is crucial in various situations, such as when a rollercoaster climbs to the top of a hill or when water is stored in a dam at a certain elevation. When the object falls or is allowed to move downward, that potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion. Understanding gravitational potential energy is fundamental in physics, as it helps explain how energy is conserved and transformed in different systems.