What is gravitational potential energy?

Explanation

The energy stored in a body due to the gravitational force between the body and the earth is called the gravitational potential energy. Gravitational potential energy of a body of mass `m=-(GMm)/(R+h),` where G = gravitational constant, M= mass of the earth, R = radius of the earth, h = height of the body from the surface of the earth.
[Note : As the body is bound to the earth due to the earth's gravitational froce, the gravitational potential energy of the body is negative. If the body is given kinetic energy equal to `(GMm)/(R+h)` body will overcome the earth's gravitational force. It will then move to infinity and come to rest there.]