Question

What is the definition of " potential energy" ?

Answer 1

By convention, most people take infinity to be a reference point where PE = 0. Then they define the PE at a point in space as the work required to move from infinity to that point in space. Work is defined as the product of a force and a distance, where the force considered is the portion that acts in the same direction of motion. This means that:

PE = - change in Work