Potential energy is resolved as an objects capacity to do work. So in many cases the action of the kinetic state is the first step to that calculation. For a benign object,, lets say a 10 Pound weight ,we have described the gravitaional potential at rest ,,,,add a movement and wellllll the potential to do work increases kinetically....
Lets review what makes the object have a potential to do work for a moment though.
First it must occupy a space of some sort ..that is lie at rest . Second it must have a mass of some sort ,even gasses have mass.
Third it must no be acted upon by any other outside forces.
All this sums up as is written in Newton's Laws as a description rather than an amount. So i guess the best way i could say potential energy is measured (this includes the formula E=mc^2) is that until it is acted upon or dictated to or positioned to react to a force the potential to do work is not able to be calculated ...because of the state or position it is in when at rest. So for lack of better methodology man has decided to describe most objects relative to their gravitational potential. I weigh 180 pounds this computer weighs 1 kilogram that car weighs a ton. We can all see in a moment the potential by using this stanadard. So poor as it may be we are harnessed to the easiest understood. ..By the way I have just decided to lose some of my potential energy by cutting down on french fries ,but only for a week or two.....From the E.....
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Potential energy is resolved as an objects capacity to do work. So in many cases the action of the kinetic state is the first step to that calculation. For a benign object,, lets say a 10 Pound weight ,we have described the gravitaional potential at rest ,,,,add a movement and wellllll the potential to do work increases kinetically....
Lets review what makes the object have a potential to do work for a moment though.
First it must occupy a space of some sort ..that is lie at rest . Second it must have a mass of some sort ,even gasses have mass.
Third it must no be acted upon by any other outside forces.
All this sums up as is written in Newton's Laws as a description rather than an amount. So i guess the best way i could say potential energy is measured (this includes the formula E=mc^2) is that until it is acted upon or dictated to or positioned to react to a force the potential to do work is not able to be calculated ...because of the state or position it is in when at rest. So for lack of better methodology man has decided to describe most objects relative to their gravitational potential. I weigh 180 pounds this computer weighs 1 kilogram that car weighs a ton. We can all see in a moment the potential by using this stanadard. So poor as it may be we are harnessed to the easiest understood. ..By the way I have just decided to lose some of my potential energy by cutting down on french fries ,but only for a week or two.....From the E.....
By searching carefully.