Energy stored due to position.

• A. Kinetic Energy
• B. Thermal Energy
• C. Chemical Energy
• D. Potential Energy

Answer: (D)

Potential energy is energy stored because of an object's position within a force field. For gravity, lifting an object increases its height and stores gravitational potential energy (calculated roughly as mgh). A stretched or compressed spring stores elastic potential energy, depending on how far it is displaced from its rest position. This stored energy remains until the position changes, at which point it can become kinetic energy as the object moves. Thermal energy, by contrast, comes from the temperature and random motion of particles, not from position, and chemical energy is stored in chemical bonds and released during reactions.