Potential Energy
Potential energy is defined as the energy a system has based upon its configuration. For example, the paper crossbow in the video at the right has potential energy when its string is pulled back; it has potential energy based upon its configuration. |
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Consider the video at the left. If the system in consideration is the waterfall and the earth, the system has potential energy when the water is at the top of the waterfall because it is located above the surface of the earth. Challenge Question: In the waterfall at the left, what happens to the system's gravitational potential energy when the water falls to the ground? |