We are students in Mr. Clemmons' 8th grade science class. We were asked to make a presentation about five types of potential energy. Presenting, 5 Types of Potential Energy.

Potential energy is stored energy that can be converted into kinetic energy. There are several forms of potential energy including gravitational, magnetic, electrical, chemical, and elastic potential energy. The potential energy can become stronger or weaker based on circumstances affiliated with the form or potential energy in question.

Gravitational Potential Energy: Gravitational potential energy is energy stored in an object suspended above the height of zero. Height zero is a decided reference point, often the ground or floor. This type of potential energy is effective on any object with mass that is in a gravitational field. The two variables of gravitational potential energy are hight and mass. You calculate gravitational potential energy with a formula, P.E. (gravitational potential energy) = m (mass) x g (strength of gravitational field (Earth: 9.8 N/kg)) x h (height). When an object possessing gravitational potential energy falls from it's resting place, the energy is converted from potential to kinetic as the object descends towards height zero. The converted kinetic energy is the greatest just before the object hits the ground or floor (height of zero).

Based on the picture, we can assume that Object C has the greatest gravitational potential energy because it is at a greater height than Object A and, most likely, has a greater mass than Object B (mass information is not provided).

Magnetic Potential Energy: Magnetic potential energy is the potential energy that is connected to the positions of magnetic objects. Magnets have two poles, a North pole and a South pole. Opposite poles attract and like poles repel. The farther away opposite ends of a magnet are the less potential energy will be stored and the closer opposite ends are more potential energy will be stored and the magnets will attract. The farther away like ends of a magnet are there will be less potential energy stored and the closer the magnets with like ends are there will be more potential energy and the magnets will repel away from each other.

Electrical Potential Energy: Electrical potential energy is caused by the distance between two objects with and electric charge. Only items with different charges attract, like charges repel. The closer oppositely charged are to each other, the greater the charge.

Chemical Potential Energy: Chemical potential energy the position of the atoms in a substance, the atoms can change when they come into contact with other forms of energy. For example when fossil fuels (chemical) come into contact with thermal energy it creates fire. This is an example of a conversion from chemical potential energy to thermal energy.

Elastic Potential Energy: Elastic potential energy is when someone stretches or compresses an elastic object. When an object has changed in the amount it has been stretched or compressed there is more or less potential energy depending on how and how much it changed. When a spring is stretched out farther there is more potential energy, and when a spring is stretched out a little bit, it does not have as much potential energy. If a spring is compressed a lot, it stores more potential energy. When a spring is compressed only a little bit, it does not have as much potential energy.

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