Ontario Grade 9 Science Class Practice Exam

The type of energy associated with the position of an object within a gravitational field is gravitational potential energy. This form of energy depends on the height of an object above a reference point, typically the ground. When an object is elevated in a gravitational field, such as when it is lifted off the ground, it stores energy that can be converted into kinetic energy if it falls. This is a critical principle in physics, often illustrated through examples like water stored in a reservoir or a rock held at height before being dropped.

Kinetic energy is related to the motion of an object rather than its position, thermal energy refers to the energy associated with the temperature of an object, and chemical energy involves the energy stored in the bonds of molecules. Thus, gravitational potential energy is the correct term to describe the energy based on an object's position in a gravitational field.