How is potential energy measured?

Potential energy is measured in joules because joules are the standard unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI). Potential energy refers to the energy an object possesses due to its position or condition; for example, an object raised to a height has gravitational potential energy because of the gravitational force acting on it.

When calculating potential energy, the formula used is typically based on the specific type of potential energy being considered. For gravitational potential energy, the equation is (PE = mgh), where (PE) is potential energy, (m) is mass, (g) is the acceleration due to gravity, and (h) is height. The resulting value from this calculation is expressed in joules, affirming that joules are indeed the correct measurement for potential energy.

Other units mentioned, such as newtons and pascals, relate to force and pressure respectively, while watts serve as a measure of power, indicating energy transfer per unit time rather than a measure of stored energy.