Do the body have potential energy.

[sphyics]

suppose a body is at rest say on Earth surface, does it posses potential energy?

 

[HallsofIvy]

There is no such thing as "absolute" potential energy. Potential energy is always "relative" to some zero-point. Any mass has potential energy 0 relative to its own position. But being "on the surface of the earth" could mean at the top of a mountain! An object, of mass m, on the surface of the earth, will have potential energy 10mg relative to the bottom of a hole 10 meters deep. It will, in general, have potential energy mgx relative to a position x below it or -mgx relative to a position x above it- as long as x is small enough that we can treat g as a constant.

 

[astrokreng]

Yes, the body does have potential energy. Potential energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its position or configuration. In the case of an object at rest on the surface of the Earth, it possesses potential energy due to its position in Earth's gravitational field. This potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy if the object is released and falls towards the ground. This concept is often used in physics to explain the transfer of energy from potential to kinetic and vice versa. So, even though the body may appear to be at rest, it still possesses potential energy.