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Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object has due to its position above Earth, energy due to its height. We know this energy exists because it takes effort to lift an object up to a height and also because when we release an object, it falls, gaining kinetic energy.
Quick Answer. According to Georgia State University, gravitational potential energy is the energy an object possesses because of its position in a gravitational field. This is most commonly in reference to an object near the surface of the Earth, where the gravitational acceleration is assumed to be constant at about 9.8 m/s2.