What do you call the energy stored in an object due to its position?

The energy stored in an object due to its position is known as potential energy. This type of energy depends on factors such as the height of an object relative to the ground or its position within a gravitational or elastic field. For example, when you lift a book off the floor and place it on a shelf, the book has potential energy because of its elevated position. This energy has the potential to be converted into kinetic energy if the book were to fall, illustrating how potential energy relates to the position and state of an object.

Kinetic energy, on the other hand, refers to the energy of an object in motion, which is markedly different from the concept of energy stored due to position. Thermal energy is associated with the internal temperature of an object, arising from the motion of its particles, while mechanical energy is a broader term that encompasses both kinetic and potential energy in a system. Thus, potential energy is specifically concerned with the energy an object has because of where it is located.