Final answer:
The capacity for doing work because of a body's position or height is known as gravitational potential energy. It is a type of mechanical energy that is stored when an object is lifted against gravity, calculated by the formula PE = mgh.
Step-by-step explanation:
The capacity for doing work that a body possesses because of its height or position is called gravitational potential energy. This form of energy is a type of mechanical energy, which can be potential or kinetic. Gravitational potential energy is calculated by the formula PE = mgh, where m stands for mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height above a reference point.
When you lift an object, like a brick, against the force of gravity, you're increasing its gravitational potential energy. The brick now has the capacity to do work due to its position. If the brick were to fall, that stored energy would be converted back into kinetic energy as the brick moves back down to its original position.
Furthermore, mechanical work is visualized as the energy required to move an object through a distance d when opposed by a force F, which involves the use of mechanical energy.