Time Dilation Pictures of Planets and other Astronomical Objects Pictures of Crystals Pictures of Physicists Picture of ME Go back to Main Page. This is a movie of a simple pendulum. It illustrates the concept of conservation of mechanical energy.
Potential energy is energy of position.
There are many different forms of potential energy, and in this case the potential energy is due to gravity. An object can do work as it moves lower under the influance of the force of gravity. In this movie the zero potential energy point is taken as the lowest point on the swing. The pendulum has maximum potential energy at maximum height and minimum potential energy at minimum height. The blue bar represents the potential energy of the pendulum in the movie.