Final answer:
Potential energy is the energy an object has because of its location, particularly in a gravitational field. The most common example is gravitational potential energy, such as a ball held above the ground that has stored energy due to its elevated position.
Step-by-step explanation:
Potential energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its position or condition rather than motion. The correct answer to the question is C. location. This type of energy is dependent on the object's position relative to other objects, with gravitational potential energy being the most common form we experience in daily life, like a ball held above the ground. When this object is dropped, the stored potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, the energy of motion, as the object falls towards the Earth.
An example of this can be seen when a roller coaster reaches the top of a hill; at this point, the roller coaster car has maximum potential energy due to its elevation. As it starts to descend, this potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy as the speed of the coaster increases.