Gravitational potential energy is calculated by multiplying the mass of an object by the gravitational field strength and by the height of the object relative to a reference point.
The formula for calculating gravitational potential energy is PE = mgh, where m is the mass of the object, g is the gravitational field strength, and h is the height of the object relative to the reference point.
The value of the gravitational field strength can be determined using the formula g = G(M/r^2), where G is the universal gravitational constant, M is the mass of the larger object (such as the Earth), and r is the distance between the two objects.
Gravitational potential energy is typically measured in joules (J) in the metric system. In the imperial system, it is measured in foot-pounds (ft-lb).
The greater the mass of an object, the greater its gravitational potential energy will be. This is because the formula for gravitational potential energy includes the mass of the object as a factor.