Can we use the stored gravitational potential energy of a building to produce power?Why can't we harness...

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Can we use the stored gravitational potential energy of a building to produce power?


Why can't we harness gravity?Gravitational potential energyIs there a way to measure the energy stored in a twisted rubber band?What prevents this rotational perpetuum mobile from working?Potential energy stored in an ideal springGravitational Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy ConfusionHow can gravitational potential energy be stored in empty space?where is electrostatic potential energy stored?Can we use a solenoid as an endless energy source?Can torsional force be used to harvest gravity?Potential gravitational energy versus potential spring energy













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There are skyscrapers sitting and pushing on the ground with tremendous weight. Is it possible to convert this weight/force to harness energy to power the building?



Maybe build the building on top of some type of pendulum that will rotate under the pressure, and when one cycle of rotation reaches the equilibrium point we could give it a kick from the stored energy to continue rotation.



Was something like this created or tested and found useless?



Note: maybe my question should be, is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic?










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    Related: worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/67448/…
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    – JollyJoker
    6 hours ago










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    I've deleted several comments that were answering the question. Please keep in mind that comments are meant for suggesting improvements to the question or requesting clarifications about it, not for answering.
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    2 hours ago










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    "Is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?" Yes, just demolish it.
    $endgroup$
    – knzhou
    45 mins ago
















4












$begingroup$


There are skyscrapers sitting and pushing on the ground with tremendous weight. Is it possible to convert this weight/force to harness energy to power the building?



Maybe build the building on top of some type of pendulum that will rotate under the pressure, and when one cycle of rotation reaches the equilibrium point we could give it a kick from the stored energy to continue rotation.



Was something like this created or tested and found useless?



Note: maybe my question should be, is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic?










share|cite|improve this question











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  • $begingroup$
    Related: worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/67448/…
    $endgroup$
    – JollyJoker
    6 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I've deleted several comments that were answering the question. Please keep in mind that comments are meant for suggesting improvements to the question or requesting clarifications about it, not for answering.
    $endgroup$
    – David Z
    2 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    "Is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?" Yes, just demolish it.
    $endgroup$
    – knzhou
    45 mins ago














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$begingroup$


There are skyscrapers sitting and pushing on the ground with tremendous weight. Is it possible to convert this weight/force to harness energy to power the building?



Maybe build the building on top of some type of pendulum that will rotate under the pressure, and when one cycle of rotation reaches the equilibrium point we could give it a kick from the stored energy to continue rotation.



Was something like this created or tested and found useless?



Note: maybe my question should be, is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic?










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$




There are skyscrapers sitting and pushing on the ground with tremendous weight. Is it possible to convert this weight/force to harness energy to power the building?



Maybe build the building on top of some type of pendulum that will rotate under the pressure, and when one cycle of rotation reaches the equilibrium point we could give it a kick from the stored energy to continue rotation.



Was something like this created or tested and found useless?



Note: maybe my question should be, is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic?







energy-conservation potential-energy perpetual-motion energy-storage






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edited 46 mins ago









knzhou

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asked yesterday









GrasperGrasper

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  • $begingroup$
    Related: worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/67448/…
    $endgroup$
    – JollyJoker
    6 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I've deleted several comments that were answering the question. Please keep in mind that comments are meant for suggesting improvements to the question or requesting clarifications about it, not for answering.
    $endgroup$
    – David Z
    2 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    "Is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?" Yes, just demolish it.
    $endgroup$
    – knzhou
    45 mins ago


















  • $begingroup$
    Related: worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/67448/…
    $endgroup$
    – JollyJoker
    6 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    I've deleted several comments that were answering the question. Please keep in mind that comments are meant for suggesting improvements to the question or requesting clarifications about it, not for answering.
    $endgroup$
    – David Z
    2 hours ago










  • $begingroup$
    "Is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?" Yes, just demolish it.
    $endgroup$
    – knzhou
    45 mins ago
















$begingroup$
Related: worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/67448/…
$endgroup$
– JollyJoker
6 hours ago




$begingroup$
Related: worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/67448/…
$endgroup$
– JollyJoker
6 hours ago












$begingroup$
I've deleted several comments that were answering the question. Please keep in mind that comments are meant for suggesting improvements to the question or requesting clarifications about it, not for answering.
$endgroup$
– David Z
2 hours ago




$begingroup$
I've deleted several comments that were answering the question. Please keep in mind that comments are meant for suggesting improvements to the question or requesting clarifications about it, not for answering.
$endgroup$
– David Z
2 hours ago












$begingroup$
"Is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?" Yes, just demolish it.
$endgroup$
– knzhou
45 mins ago




$begingroup$
"Is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?" Yes, just demolish it.
$endgroup$
– knzhou
45 mins ago










9 Answers
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In classical mechanics, absolute values of potential energy are meaningless. In your case of a skyscraper just sitting there, we could say it has a large positive amount of potential energy, no potential energy, or even negative potential energy. It doesn't matter at all. What is important is a change in potential energy.




is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?




Based on what is said above, you would need to decrease the potential energy of the building and find a way to harness that change in potential energy. The issue is that for gravity, the potential energy just depends on the distance from the Earth, so this would mean that you would have to move the building (or at least parts of the building) closer to the Earth. The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time, so I don't see this being feasible.



To see how gravitational potential energy can be converted to other types of energy in other systems, see some of the other posted answers.






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    +1 for "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time".
    $endgroup$
    – dbmag9
    22 hours ago






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    Elevator systems use the potential energy of elevators to help lift other elevators.
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    – PyRulez
    12 hours ago



















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An example of harnessing gravitational potential energy is a hydroelectric power plant which converts the potential energy of water falls, dams and the like into electrical energy.



As far as harnessing the potential energy of a building sitting on the ground, I suppose if you caused the building to topple you could harness the energy of the falling portions of the building. Obviously ridiculous.



All practical examples of harnessing potential energy involve its conversion to kinetic energy.Hope this helps.






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    If you want to describe hydroelectric power as "harnessing gravitational potential energy" then wouldn't it be more accurate to say that energy comes from the dammed lake or upriver water, rather than the dam itself or even the "waterfall" that moves the turbines?
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    – talrnu
    22 hours ago






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    @talrnu The potential energy is the height of the water above the point where it drives a turbine. When it falls and reaches the turbine the potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy. Now the kinetic energy is converted to turbine work by the work energy principle.
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    – Bob D
    20 hours ago






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    Or you could have a regenerative elevator: the car going down generates power to lift the car going up, so all you have to do is replace system losses.
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    – jamesqf
    20 hours ago






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    @jamesqf yes, another good example.
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    – Bob D
    19 hours ago










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    Hmm.... Maybe wrecking crews could harness the energy of the falling building and store it in some sort of battery, and then sell it back into the energy grid?
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    – Nacht
    16 hours ago



















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Yes, you can convert the potential energy of the skyscraper into useful work. But, to extract useful work from the potential energy, must reduce the potential energy, that is: you must reduce the height of the skyscraper. You must tear the skyscraper down to get its energy.



You should note that skyscrapers aren't free and that someone used a crane powered by electricity or diesel to lift the parts of the skyscraper to their current positions. You are guaranteed to get less energy out of this process than was put in to build the skyscraper. You will waste a lot of energy in the process of converting energy from diesel or the electric grid into the potential energy of the skyscraper and then back into electricity. This would be a terribly inefficient way to store energy.



However, as noted by another answer, this is essentially what we do with hydroelectric dams. We move water from a high altitude to a lower altitude and extract useful work that is converted into electrical energy. This energy is free in the sense that the sun evaporated water somewhere and it rained down on the high altitude reservoir. So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power, because the sun effectively pumps the water uphill and we extract energy as it moves downhill.



Using actual electrically powered pumps, you can pump water uphill to store energy. You can use the energy later by allowing it to flow downhill.






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    "So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power" almost all forms of energy we use to do are indirectly solar power.
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    – PyRulez
    12 hours ago






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    @PyRulez: Pretty awesome that nuclear power plants harvest the energy not from our sun, but from some star that has gone nova aeons ago.
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    – Christian
    2 hours ago



















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There is a company in Switzerland that is developing an Energy Vault, which is a building sized stack of heavy blocks with cranes extending out from a central pilar.



Each of these blocks can be lowered to the ground and the crane generates energy doing so.



Re-stacking the block requires using energy to take it back up. There are, of course, losses when comparing the energy it takes to raise the block compared to the energy generated when lowering it.



This is meant to be used as an energy storage device, to give a method of storing excess "green" energy so that overproduction is not wasted. Again, energy is wasted in this process, but that is true of any energy storage/conversion system.



Note that the stack of stones, when unmoving, generates zero energy. It is only when the stones are actually being lowered that energy generation is possible. The Potential Energy of an object is an ideal calculation of the Kinetic Energy that could be generated if the object was lowered a specific distance. If the object is unmoving, no energy is generated.






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    By convention, potential energy (which can be mechanical, gravitational, chemical, electromagnetic or nuclear) refers to energy stored in a field (electromagnetic field, gravitational field, gluon field etc.). This energy must be converted into kinetic energy in order to be "harnessed" or do work. For example, you can convert potential energy into:




    • kinetic energy of an arrow, a pendulum or a pipe full of water

    • heat energy (which at a molecular scale is just kinetic energy again)

    • an electric current (moving electrons, so kinetic energy again)

    • energetic neutrons and other products of fission or fusion (kinetic energy again)


    So you can harness potential energy, but only indirectly.






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    • $begingroup$
      I understand this, maybe my question should be is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?
      $endgroup$
      – Grasper
      yesterday






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      @Grasper Sure. A few well placed explosive charges will convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic energy for a short period, before this kinetic energy is used to break a lot of chemical bonds. I believe there are videos of the phenomena available on YouTube :) But if you want to convert some of the kinetic energy back to potential energy afterwards then you have to design a building that will bounce.
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      – gandalf61
      23 hours ago












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      Speaking of bouncing, skyscrapers actually swing. There were strips created that generate electricity. They placed them under a bridge and anytime car passed it generated electricity. So if a very long string is attached this could work but in that case I think the wind energy would be more efficient but who knows.
      $endgroup$
      – Grasper
      20 hours ago






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      @Grasper In all of those cases the energy isn't coming from nowhere. For the strips that generate electricity from moving cars, that energy comes from reducing the speed of the cars as they pass through (even if only a tiny bit), meaning in aggregate you are reducing the mileage of those cars. It's basically an extremely inefficient generator that runs on gas. You could get energy from swaying buildings, but that energy is from the wind moving the building, and as you said, directly harnessing the wind is going to be far more efficient. In every case the energy has to come from somewhere
      $endgroup$
      – Kevin Wells
      19 hours ago



















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    The other answers give perfectly valid examples of e.g. a "grandfather's" clock, where you have to put in external energy from time to time - here, to lift the weight back up against gravity.

    However, I feel that there is an additional aspect to the original question: The asker probably wants to stay completely passive and just harness the potential energy of the building, sitting on earth's surface, somehow.
    To this, I say:



    TL;DR: Theoretically possible, but practically meaningless.



    First of all, let's look at the basic formulae:
    As the OP stated, a building exerts pressure on the ground. Pressure equals Force divided by Area:
    $$P=frac{F}{A}$$
    So, to get the force a building exerts on the ground, we have to factor in Area.
    No problem, the relevant area, the 'footprint' of the building certainly is known.

    Now, what we want to get out of this is Energy. And Energy is Force times distance:
    $$E=Fcdot s$$
    And that's distance downwards (hereafter denoted by $h$), because that's the direction the force works and therefore that's where Energy is to be gained. The force is, of course, gravitational force, so we finally get:
    $$E=F cdot h = m cdot g cdot h$$
    Now, we've got everything we need. Drop a skyscraper (let's say $m = 200 000 t = 200 000 000 kg$) down, say, $10m$, in a controlled fashion(*) and you're looking at
    $$E = m cdot g cdot h = 200 000 000kg cdot 9.81frac{m}{s^2} cdot 10m = 19 620 000 000J = 19.62GJ$$
    that you could harvest.



    However, as you might have suspected by now, this is a one-time-only-ever-fullstop-period-type of deal. You can get that energy exactly once (**) and then, never again. You have to put up at least the same $19,62GJ$ to lift the skyscraper back up and repeat the exercise, gaining nothing in the process.

    And factor in the energy expenditure from digging the $10m$ hole in the first place, putting up some mechanism to drop the skyscraper in a controlled manner and harvest the energy, you're certainly looking at expenditures that greatly surpass anything that is to be gained.

    So... it's probably not worth trying.



    (*) just throwing it down would probably cause it to collapse and release additional energy originally expended while building the skyscraper, but all that energy would be pretty much non-harvestable...

    (**) at least within our earth's lifetime






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      Simply No. If you could generate energy simply from the potential energy of the building, induced by gravity, without somehow permanently decreasing that energy, you would build some sort of perpetuum mobile.



      If you would gain usable energy (like an electrical current) out of the potential energy of the building, without reducing the mass of the building and without altering the gravitational field, you would have created energy out of nothing, but energy is conserved.






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        Isn't gravitational force a perpetuum mobile? or at least it has the potential to be.
        $endgroup$
        – Grasper
        yesterday






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        @Grasper How so? You only get energy from the gravity by moving closer together. At some point, you can't get any closer and the energy doesn't increase.
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        – JMac
        yesterday










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        @JMac because gravity is always there available?
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        – Grasper
        yesterday






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        @Grasper But the objects aren't always apart. You can extract some energy from the system; but in extracting that energy you remove potential energy from the system; which you can only do a finite amount until there is no potential left. In a perfect isolated system with no loss, you in theory could have it move forever without energy exchange. Wikipedia calls that "perpetual motion of the third kind", and it's still not possible in practice. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion#Classification
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        – JMac
        23 hours ago










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        @JMac Since the objects are still attracted to and exert force on each other when they meet, your explanation doesn't really address the source of Grasper's confusion. The question is about why we can't generate power from these forces when the objects are touching.
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        – talrnu
        20 hours ago



















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      Absolutely, yes. We actually do that, for example in an old-fashioned grandfather clock. They have big weights inside. You give the clock energy by raising the weights up, and then they go down slowly (due to gravity) and in a very precise way, to drive the clock.



      In theory, you could fathom a building where you put a huuuuuuge spring between its base and earth, and after the building is complete, you raise it up with some pretty substantial external energy input (some hydraulic mechanism driven by whatever source you wish). Then, as the building presses down and slowly compresses the spring, you could use that movement to drive whatever generator you like.



      This has only two practical problems: 1) if you're able to find the energy to lift the house in the first place, why would you need this complicated contraption at all and 2) obviously totally impractical for reasons of "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time - Aaron Stevens"...






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        Wouldn't putting a spring underneath be extremely impractical? A large portion of the energy would be going into the potential energy of the spring instead of whatever storage system you are using; unless the spring is your storage system, in which case I don't know how you get the energy back out in a usable way (besides just expanding the spring, which I imagine is a waste). You would need the spring to be built on top of some sort of base that could relax itself after the spring compressed to get the energy out; at that point you might as well build it on that base.
        $endgroup$
        – JMac
        18 hours ago








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        @JMac, obviously... it's a thought experiment.
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        – AnoE
        17 hours ago



















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      We already do. Take a look at any hydropower plant in the world. The problem with trying to harness the potential energy of buildings is they would have to fall down. Being inside a building that's doing this would be disconcerting at best.






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        9 Answers
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        9 Answers
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        $begingroup$

        In classical mechanics, absolute values of potential energy are meaningless. In your case of a skyscraper just sitting there, we could say it has a large positive amount of potential energy, no potential energy, or even negative potential energy. It doesn't matter at all. What is important is a change in potential energy.




        is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?




        Based on what is said above, you would need to decrease the potential energy of the building and find a way to harness that change in potential energy. The issue is that for gravity, the potential energy just depends on the distance from the Earth, so this would mean that you would have to move the building (or at least parts of the building) closer to the Earth. The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time, so I don't see this being feasible.



        To see how gravitational potential energy can be converted to other types of energy in other systems, see some of the other posted answers.






        share|cite|improve this answer











        $endgroup$









        • 41




          $begingroup$
          +1 for "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time".
          $endgroup$
          – dbmag9
          22 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Elevator systems use the potential energy of elevators to help lift other elevators.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago
















        51












        $begingroup$

        In classical mechanics, absolute values of potential energy are meaningless. In your case of a skyscraper just sitting there, we could say it has a large positive amount of potential energy, no potential energy, or even negative potential energy. It doesn't matter at all. What is important is a change in potential energy.




        is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?




        Based on what is said above, you would need to decrease the potential energy of the building and find a way to harness that change in potential energy. The issue is that for gravity, the potential energy just depends on the distance from the Earth, so this would mean that you would have to move the building (or at least parts of the building) closer to the Earth. The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time, so I don't see this being feasible.



        To see how gravitational potential energy can be converted to other types of energy in other systems, see some of the other posted answers.






        share|cite|improve this answer











        $endgroup$









        • 41




          $begingroup$
          +1 for "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time".
          $endgroup$
          – dbmag9
          22 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Elevator systems use the potential energy of elevators to help lift other elevators.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago














        51












        51








        51





        $begingroup$

        In classical mechanics, absolute values of potential energy are meaningless. In your case of a skyscraper just sitting there, we could say it has a large positive amount of potential energy, no potential energy, or even negative potential energy. It doesn't matter at all. What is important is a change in potential energy.




        is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?




        Based on what is said above, you would need to decrease the potential energy of the building and find a way to harness that change in potential energy. The issue is that for gravity, the potential energy just depends on the distance from the Earth, so this would mean that you would have to move the building (or at least parts of the building) closer to the Earth. The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time, so I don't see this being feasible.



        To see how gravitational potential energy can be converted to other types of energy in other systems, see some of the other posted answers.






        share|cite|improve this answer











        $endgroup$



        In classical mechanics, absolute values of potential energy are meaningless. In your case of a skyscraper just sitting there, we could say it has a large positive amount of potential energy, no potential energy, or even negative potential energy. It doesn't matter at all. What is important is a change in potential energy.




        is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?




        Based on what is said above, you would need to decrease the potential energy of the building and find a way to harness that change in potential energy. The issue is that for gravity, the potential energy just depends on the distance from the Earth, so this would mean that you would have to move the building (or at least parts of the building) closer to the Earth. The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time, so I don't see this being feasible.



        To see how gravitational potential energy can be converted to other types of energy in other systems, see some of the other posted answers.







        share|cite|improve this answer














        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer








        edited 22 hours ago

























        answered yesterday









        Aaron StevensAaron Stevens

        11.8k32146




        11.8k32146








        • 41




          $begingroup$
          +1 for "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time".
          $endgroup$
          – dbmag9
          22 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Elevator systems use the potential energy of elevators to help lift other elevators.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago














        • 41




          $begingroup$
          +1 for "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time".
          $endgroup$
          – dbmag9
          22 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Elevator systems use the potential energy of elevators to help lift other elevators.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago








        41




        41




        $begingroup$
        +1 for "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time".
        $endgroup$
        – dbmag9
        22 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        +1 for "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time".
        $endgroup$
        – dbmag9
        22 hours ago




        1




        1




        $begingroup$
        Elevator systems use the potential energy of elevators to help lift other elevators.
        $endgroup$
        – PyRulez
        12 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        Elevator systems use the potential energy of elevators to help lift other elevators.
        $endgroup$
        – PyRulez
        12 hours ago











        18












        $begingroup$

        An example of harnessing gravitational potential energy is a hydroelectric power plant which converts the potential energy of water falls, dams and the like into electrical energy.



        As far as harnessing the potential energy of a building sitting on the ground, I suppose if you caused the building to topple you could harness the energy of the falling portions of the building. Obviously ridiculous.



        All practical examples of harnessing potential energy involve its conversion to kinetic energy.Hope this helps.






        share|cite|improve this answer











        $endgroup$









        • 2




          $begingroup$
          If you want to describe hydroelectric power as "harnessing gravitational potential energy" then wouldn't it be more accurate to say that energy comes from the dammed lake or upriver water, rather than the dam itself or even the "waterfall" that moves the turbines?
          $endgroup$
          – talrnu
          22 hours ago






        • 3




          $begingroup$
          @talrnu The potential energy is the height of the water above the point where it drives a turbine. When it falls and reaches the turbine the potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy. Now the kinetic energy is converted to turbine work by the work energy principle.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Or you could have a regenerative elevator: the car going down generates power to lift the car going up, so all you have to do is replace system losses.
          $endgroup$
          – jamesqf
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @jamesqf yes, another good example.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          19 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          Hmm.... Maybe wrecking crews could harness the energy of the falling building and store it in some sort of battery, and then sell it back into the energy grid?
          $endgroup$
          – Nacht
          16 hours ago
















        18












        $begingroup$

        An example of harnessing gravitational potential energy is a hydroelectric power plant which converts the potential energy of water falls, dams and the like into electrical energy.



        As far as harnessing the potential energy of a building sitting on the ground, I suppose if you caused the building to topple you could harness the energy of the falling portions of the building. Obviously ridiculous.



        All practical examples of harnessing potential energy involve its conversion to kinetic energy.Hope this helps.






        share|cite|improve this answer











        $endgroup$









        • 2




          $begingroup$
          If you want to describe hydroelectric power as "harnessing gravitational potential energy" then wouldn't it be more accurate to say that energy comes from the dammed lake or upriver water, rather than the dam itself or even the "waterfall" that moves the turbines?
          $endgroup$
          – talrnu
          22 hours ago






        • 3




          $begingroup$
          @talrnu The potential energy is the height of the water above the point where it drives a turbine. When it falls and reaches the turbine the potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy. Now the kinetic energy is converted to turbine work by the work energy principle.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Or you could have a regenerative elevator: the car going down generates power to lift the car going up, so all you have to do is replace system losses.
          $endgroup$
          – jamesqf
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @jamesqf yes, another good example.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          19 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          Hmm.... Maybe wrecking crews could harness the energy of the falling building and store it in some sort of battery, and then sell it back into the energy grid?
          $endgroup$
          – Nacht
          16 hours ago














        18












        18








        18





        $begingroup$

        An example of harnessing gravitational potential energy is a hydroelectric power plant which converts the potential energy of water falls, dams and the like into electrical energy.



        As far as harnessing the potential energy of a building sitting on the ground, I suppose if you caused the building to topple you could harness the energy of the falling portions of the building. Obviously ridiculous.



        All practical examples of harnessing potential energy involve its conversion to kinetic energy.Hope this helps.






        share|cite|improve this answer











        $endgroup$



        An example of harnessing gravitational potential energy is a hydroelectric power plant which converts the potential energy of water falls, dams and the like into electrical energy.



        As far as harnessing the potential energy of a building sitting on the ground, I suppose if you caused the building to topple you could harness the energy of the falling portions of the building. Obviously ridiculous.



        All practical examples of harnessing potential energy involve its conversion to kinetic energy.Hope this helps.







        share|cite|improve this answer














        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer








        edited 23 hours ago

























        answered yesterday









        Bob DBob D

        3,3662216




        3,3662216








        • 2




          $begingroup$
          If you want to describe hydroelectric power as "harnessing gravitational potential energy" then wouldn't it be more accurate to say that energy comes from the dammed lake or upriver water, rather than the dam itself or even the "waterfall" that moves the turbines?
          $endgroup$
          – talrnu
          22 hours ago






        • 3




          $begingroup$
          @talrnu The potential energy is the height of the water above the point where it drives a turbine. When it falls and reaches the turbine the potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy. Now the kinetic energy is converted to turbine work by the work energy principle.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Or you could have a regenerative elevator: the car going down generates power to lift the car going up, so all you have to do is replace system losses.
          $endgroup$
          – jamesqf
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @jamesqf yes, another good example.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          19 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          Hmm.... Maybe wrecking crews could harness the energy of the falling building and store it in some sort of battery, and then sell it back into the energy grid?
          $endgroup$
          – Nacht
          16 hours ago














        • 2




          $begingroup$
          If you want to describe hydroelectric power as "harnessing gravitational potential energy" then wouldn't it be more accurate to say that energy comes from the dammed lake or upriver water, rather than the dam itself or even the "waterfall" that moves the turbines?
          $endgroup$
          – talrnu
          22 hours ago






        • 3




          $begingroup$
          @talrnu The potential energy is the height of the water above the point where it drives a turbine. When it falls and reaches the turbine the potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy. Now the kinetic energy is converted to turbine work by the work energy principle.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          Or you could have a regenerative elevator: the car going down generates power to lift the car going up, so all you have to do is replace system losses.
          $endgroup$
          – jamesqf
          20 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @jamesqf yes, another good example.
          $endgroup$
          – Bob D
          19 hours ago










        • $begingroup$
          Hmm.... Maybe wrecking crews could harness the energy of the falling building and store it in some sort of battery, and then sell it back into the energy grid?
          $endgroup$
          – Nacht
          16 hours ago








        2




        2




        $begingroup$
        If you want to describe hydroelectric power as "harnessing gravitational potential energy" then wouldn't it be more accurate to say that energy comes from the dammed lake or upriver water, rather than the dam itself or even the "waterfall" that moves the turbines?
        $endgroup$
        – talrnu
        22 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        If you want to describe hydroelectric power as "harnessing gravitational potential energy" then wouldn't it be more accurate to say that energy comes from the dammed lake or upriver water, rather than the dam itself or even the "waterfall" that moves the turbines?
        $endgroup$
        – talrnu
        22 hours ago




        3




        3




        $begingroup$
        @talrnu The potential energy is the height of the water above the point where it drives a turbine. When it falls and reaches the turbine the potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy. Now the kinetic energy is converted to turbine work by the work energy principle.
        $endgroup$
        – Bob D
        20 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        @talrnu The potential energy is the height of the water above the point where it drives a turbine. When it falls and reaches the turbine the potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy. Now the kinetic energy is converted to turbine work by the work energy principle.
        $endgroup$
        – Bob D
        20 hours ago




        1




        1




        $begingroup$
        Or you could have a regenerative elevator: the car going down generates power to lift the car going up, so all you have to do is replace system losses.
        $endgroup$
        – jamesqf
        20 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        Or you could have a regenerative elevator: the car going down generates power to lift the car going up, so all you have to do is replace system losses.
        $endgroup$
        – jamesqf
        20 hours ago




        1




        1




        $begingroup$
        @jamesqf yes, another good example.
        $endgroup$
        – Bob D
        19 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        @jamesqf yes, another good example.
        $endgroup$
        – Bob D
        19 hours ago












        $begingroup$
        Hmm.... Maybe wrecking crews could harness the energy of the falling building and store it in some sort of battery, and then sell it back into the energy grid?
        $endgroup$
        – Nacht
        16 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        Hmm.... Maybe wrecking crews could harness the energy of the falling building and store it in some sort of battery, and then sell it back into the energy grid?
        $endgroup$
        – Nacht
        16 hours ago











        8












        $begingroup$

        Yes, you can convert the potential energy of the skyscraper into useful work. But, to extract useful work from the potential energy, must reduce the potential energy, that is: you must reduce the height of the skyscraper. You must tear the skyscraper down to get its energy.



        You should note that skyscrapers aren't free and that someone used a crane powered by electricity or diesel to lift the parts of the skyscraper to their current positions. You are guaranteed to get less energy out of this process than was put in to build the skyscraper. You will waste a lot of energy in the process of converting energy from diesel or the electric grid into the potential energy of the skyscraper and then back into electricity. This would be a terribly inefficient way to store energy.



        However, as noted by another answer, this is essentially what we do with hydroelectric dams. We move water from a high altitude to a lower altitude and extract useful work that is converted into electrical energy. This energy is free in the sense that the sun evaporated water somewhere and it rained down on the high altitude reservoir. So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power, because the sun effectively pumps the water uphill and we extract energy as it moves downhill.



        Using actual electrically powered pumps, you can pump water uphill to store energy. You can use the energy later by allowing it to flow downhill.






        share|cite|improve this answer









        $endgroup$









        • 3




          $begingroup$
          "So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power" almost all forms of energy we use to do are indirectly solar power.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @PyRulez: Pretty awesome that nuclear power plants harvest the energy not from our sun, but from some star that has gone nova aeons ago.
          $endgroup$
          – Christian
          2 hours ago
















        8












        $begingroup$

        Yes, you can convert the potential energy of the skyscraper into useful work. But, to extract useful work from the potential energy, must reduce the potential energy, that is: you must reduce the height of the skyscraper. You must tear the skyscraper down to get its energy.



        You should note that skyscrapers aren't free and that someone used a crane powered by electricity or diesel to lift the parts of the skyscraper to their current positions. You are guaranteed to get less energy out of this process than was put in to build the skyscraper. You will waste a lot of energy in the process of converting energy from diesel or the electric grid into the potential energy of the skyscraper and then back into electricity. This would be a terribly inefficient way to store energy.



        However, as noted by another answer, this is essentially what we do with hydroelectric dams. We move water from a high altitude to a lower altitude and extract useful work that is converted into electrical energy. This energy is free in the sense that the sun evaporated water somewhere and it rained down on the high altitude reservoir. So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power, because the sun effectively pumps the water uphill and we extract energy as it moves downhill.



        Using actual electrically powered pumps, you can pump water uphill to store energy. You can use the energy later by allowing it to flow downhill.






        share|cite|improve this answer









        $endgroup$









        • 3




          $begingroup$
          "So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power" almost all forms of energy we use to do are indirectly solar power.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @PyRulez: Pretty awesome that nuclear power plants harvest the energy not from our sun, but from some star that has gone nova aeons ago.
          $endgroup$
          – Christian
          2 hours ago














        8












        8








        8





        $begingroup$

        Yes, you can convert the potential energy of the skyscraper into useful work. But, to extract useful work from the potential energy, must reduce the potential energy, that is: you must reduce the height of the skyscraper. You must tear the skyscraper down to get its energy.



        You should note that skyscrapers aren't free and that someone used a crane powered by electricity or diesel to lift the parts of the skyscraper to their current positions. You are guaranteed to get less energy out of this process than was put in to build the skyscraper. You will waste a lot of energy in the process of converting energy from diesel or the electric grid into the potential energy of the skyscraper and then back into electricity. This would be a terribly inefficient way to store energy.



        However, as noted by another answer, this is essentially what we do with hydroelectric dams. We move water from a high altitude to a lower altitude and extract useful work that is converted into electrical energy. This energy is free in the sense that the sun evaporated water somewhere and it rained down on the high altitude reservoir. So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power, because the sun effectively pumps the water uphill and we extract energy as it moves downhill.



        Using actual electrically powered pumps, you can pump water uphill to store energy. You can use the energy later by allowing it to flow downhill.






        share|cite|improve this answer









        $endgroup$



        Yes, you can convert the potential energy of the skyscraper into useful work. But, to extract useful work from the potential energy, must reduce the potential energy, that is: you must reduce the height of the skyscraper. You must tear the skyscraper down to get its energy.



        You should note that skyscrapers aren't free and that someone used a crane powered by electricity or diesel to lift the parts of the skyscraper to their current positions. You are guaranteed to get less energy out of this process than was put in to build the skyscraper. You will waste a lot of energy in the process of converting energy from diesel or the electric grid into the potential energy of the skyscraper and then back into electricity. This would be a terribly inefficient way to store energy.



        However, as noted by another answer, this is essentially what we do with hydroelectric dams. We move water from a high altitude to a lower altitude and extract useful work that is converted into electrical energy. This energy is free in the sense that the sun evaporated water somewhere and it rained down on the high altitude reservoir. So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power, because the sun effectively pumps the water uphill and we extract energy as it moves downhill.



        Using actual electrically powered pumps, you can pump water uphill to store energy. You can use the energy later by allowing it to flow downhill.







        share|cite|improve this answer












        share|cite|improve this answer



        share|cite|improve this answer










        answered 20 hours ago









        WaterMoleculeWaterMolecule

        29114




        29114








        • 3




          $begingroup$
          "So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power" almost all forms of energy we use to do are indirectly solar power.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @PyRulez: Pretty awesome that nuclear power plants harvest the energy not from our sun, but from some star that has gone nova aeons ago.
          $endgroup$
          – Christian
          2 hours ago














        • 3




          $begingroup$
          "So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power" almost all forms of energy we use to do are indirectly solar power.
          $endgroup$
          – PyRulez
          12 hours ago






        • 1




          $begingroup$
          @PyRulez: Pretty awesome that nuclear power plants harvest the energy not from our sun, but from some star that has gone nova aeons ago.
          $endgroup$
          – Christian
          2 hours ago








        3




        3




        $begingroup$
        "So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power" almost all forms of energy we use to do are indirectly solar power.
        $endgroup$
        – PyRulez
        12 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        "So hydroelectric power is, at its core, solar power" almost all forms of energy we use to do are indirectly solar power.
        $endgroup$
        – PyRulez
        12 hours ago




        1




        1




        $begingroup$
        @PyRulez: Pretty awesome that nuclear power plants harvest the energy not from our sun, but from some star that has gone nova aeons ago.
        $endgroup$
        – Christian
        2 hours ago




        $begingroup$
        @PyRulez: Pretty awesome that nuclear power plants harvest the energy not from our sun, but from some star that has gone nova aeons ago.
        $endgroup$
        – Christian
        2 hours ago











        4












        $begingroup$

        There is a company in Switzerland that is developing an Energy Vault, which is a building sized stack of heavy blocks with cranes extending out from a central pilar.



        Each of these blocks can be lowered to the ground and the crane generates energy doing so.



        Re-stacking the block requires using energy to take it back up. There are, of course, losses when comparing the energy it takes to raise the block compared to the energy generated when lowering it.



        This is meant to be used as an energy storage device, to give a method of storing excess "green" energy so that overproduction is not wasted. Again, energy is wasted in this process, but that is true of any energy storage/conversion system.



        Note that the stack of stones, when unmoving, generates zero energy. It is only when the stones are actually being lowered that energy generation is possible. The Potential Energy of an object is an ideal calculation of the Kinetic Energy that could be generated if the object was lowered a specific distance. If the object is unmoving, no energy is generated.






        share|cite|improve this answer









        $endgroup$


















          4












          $begingroup$

          There is a company in Switzerland that is developing an Energy Vault, which is a building sized stack of heavy blocks with cranes extending out from a central pilar.



          Each of these blocks can be lowered to the ground and the crane generates energy doing so.



          Re-stacking the block requires using energy to take it back up. There are, of course, losses when comparing the energy it takes to raise the block compared to the energy generated when lowering it.



          This is meant to be used as an energy storage device, to give a method of storing excess "green" energy so that overproduction is not wasted. Again, energy is wasted in this process, but that is true of any energy storage/conversion system.



          Note that the stack of stones, when unmoving, generates zero energy. It is only when the stones are actually being lowered that energy generation is possible. The Potential Energy of an object is an ideal calculation of the Kinetic Energy that could be generated if the object was lowered a specific distance. If the object is unmoving, no energy is generated.






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$
















            4












            4








            4





            $begingroup$

            There is a company in Switzerland that is developing an Energy Vault, which is a building sized stack of heavy blocks with cranes extending out from a central pilar.



            Each of these blocks can be lowered to the ground and the crane generates energy doing so.



            Re-stacking the block requires using energy to take it back up. There are, of course, losses when comparing the energy it takes to raise the block compared to the energy generated when lowering it.



            This is meant to be used as an energy storage device, to give a method of storing excess "green" energy so that overproduction is not wasted. Again, energy is wasted in this process, but that is true of any energy storage/conversion system.



            Note that the stack of stones, when unmoving, generates zero energy. It is only when the stones are actually being lowered that energy generation is possible. The Potential Energy of an object is an ideal calculation of the Kinetic Energy that could be generated if the object was lowered a specific distance. If the object is unmoving, no energy is generated.






            share|cite|improve this answer









            $endgroup$



            There is a company in Switzerland that is developing an Energy Vault, which is a building sized stack of heavy blocks with cranes extending out from a central pilar.



            Each of these blocks can be lowered to the ground and the crane generates energy doing so.



            Re-stacking the block requires using energy to take it back up. There are, of course, losses when comparing the energy it takes to raise the block compared to the energy generated when lowering it.



            This is meant to be used as an energy storage device, to give a method of storing excess "green" energy so that overproduction is not wasted. Again, energy is wasted in this process, but that is true of any energy storage/conversion system.



            Note that the stack of stones, when unmoving, generates zero energy. It is only when the stones are actually being lowered that energy generation is possible. The Potential Energy of an object is an ideal calculation of the Kinetic Energy that could be generated if the object was lowered a specific distance. If the object is unmoving, no energy is generated.







            share|cite|improve this answer












            share|cite|improve this answer



            share|cite|improve this answer










            answered 16 hours ago









            Michael RichardsonMichael Richardson

            23125




            23125























                2












                $begingroup$

                By convention, potential energy (which can be mechanical, gravitational, chemical, electromagnetic or nuclear) refers to energy stored in a field (electromagnetic field, gravitational field, gluon field etc.). This energy must be converted into kinetic energy in order to be "harnessed" or do work. For example, you can convert potential energy into:




                • kinetic energy of an arrow, a pendulum or a pipe full of water

                • heat energy (which at a molecular scale is just kinetic energy again)

                • an electric current (moving electrons, so kinetic energy again)

                • energetic neutrons and other products of fission or fusion (kinetic energy again)


                So you can harness potential energy, but only indirectly.






                share|cite|improve this answer









                $endgroup$













                • $begingroup$
                  I understand this, maybe my question should be is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  yesterday






                • 3




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper Sure. A few well placed explosive charges will convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic energy for a short period, before this kinetic energy is used to break a lot of chemical bonds. I believe there are videos of the phenomena available on YouTube :) But if you want to convert some of the kinetic energy back to potential energy afterwards then you have to design a building that will bounce.
                  $endgroup$
                  – gandalf61
                  23 hours ago












                • $begingroup$
                  Speaking of bouncing, skyscrapers actually swing. There were strips created that generate electricity. They placed them under a bridge and anytime car passed it generated electricity. So if a very long string is attached this could work but in that case I think the wind energy would be more efficient but who knows.
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  20 hours ago






                • 6




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper In all of those cases the energy isn't coming from nowhere. For the strips that generate electricity from moving cars, that energy comes from reducing the speed of the cars as they pass through (even if only a tiny bit), meaning in aggregate you are reducing the mileage of those cars. It's basically an extremely inefficient generator that runs on gas. You could get energy from swaying buildings, but that energy is from the wind moving the building, and as you said, directly harnessing the wind is going to be far more efficient. In every case the energy has to come from somewhere
                  $endgroup$
                  – Kevin Wells
                  19 hours ago
















                2












                $begingroup$

                By convention, potential energy (which can be mechanical, gravitational, chemical, electromagnetic or nuclear) refers to energy stored in a field (electromagnetic field, gravitational field, gluon field etc.). This energy must be converted into kinetic energy in order to be "harnessed" or do work. For example, you can convert potential energy into:




                • kinetic energy of an arrow, a pendulum or a pipe full of water

                • heat energy (which at a molecular scale is just kinetic energy again)

                • an electric current (moving electrons, so kinetic energy again)

                • energetic neutrons and other products of fission or fusion (kinetic energy again)


                So you can harness potential energy, but only indirectly.






                share|cite|improve this answer









                $endgroup$













                • $begingroup$
                  I understand this, maybe my question should be is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  yesterday






                • 3




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper Sure. A few well placed explosive charges will convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic energy for a short period, before this kinetic energy is used to break a lot of chemical bonds. I believe there are videos of the phenomena available on YouTube :) But if you want to convert some of the kinetic energy back to potential energy afterwards then you have to design a building that will bounce.
                  $endgroup$
                  – gandalf61
                  23 hours ago












                • $begingroup$
                  Speaking of bouncing, skyscrapers actually swing. There were strips created that generate electricity. They placed them under a bridge and anytime car passed it generated electricity. So if a very long string is attached this could work but in that case I think the wind energy would be more efficient but who knows.
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  20 hours ago






                • 6




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper In all of those cases the energy isn't coming from nowhere. For the strips that generate electricity from moving cars, that energy comes from reducing the speed of the cars as they pass through (even if only a tiny bit), meaning in aggregate you are reducing the mileage of those cars. It's basically an extremely inefficient generator that runs on gas. You could get energy from swaying buildings, but that energy is from the wind moving the building, and as you said, directly harnessing the wind is going to be far more efficient. In every case the energy has to come from somewhere
                  $endgroup$
                  – Kevin Wells
                  19 hours ago














                2












                2








                2





                $begingroup$

                By convention, potential energy (which can be mechanical, gravitational, chemical, electromagnetic or nuclear) refers to energy stored in a field (electromagnetic field, gravitational field, gluon field etc.). This energy must be converted into kinetic energy in order to be "harnessed" or do work. For example, you can convert potential energy into:




                • kinetic energy of an arrow, a pendulum or a pipe full of water

                • heat energy (which at a molecular scale is just kinetic energy again)

                • an electric current (moving electrons, so kinetic energy again)

                • energetic neutrons and other products of fission or fusion (kinetic energy again)


                So you can harness potential energy, but only indirectly.






                share|cite|improve this answer









                $endgroup$



                By convention, potential energy (which can be mechanical, gravitational, chemical, electromagnetic or nuclear) refers to energy stored in a field (electromagnetic field, gravitational field, gluon field etc.). This energy must be converted into kinetic energy in order to be "harnessed" or do work. For example, you can convert potential energy into:




                • kinetic energy of an arrow, a pendulum or a pipe full of water

                • heat energy (which at a molecular scale is just kinetic energy again)

                • an electric current (moving electrons, so kinetic energy again)

                • energetic neutrons and other products of fission or fusion (kinetic energy again)


                So you can harness potential energy, but only indirectly.







                share|cite|improve this answer












                share|cite|improve this answer



                share|cite|improve this answer










                answered yesterday









                gandalf61gandalf61

                31915




                31915












                • $begingroup$
                  I understand this, maybe my question should be is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  yesterday






                • 3




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper Sure. A few well placed explosive charges will convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic energy for a short period, before this kinetic energy is used to break a lot of chemical bonds. I believe there are videos of the phenomena available on YouTube :) But if you want to convert some of the kinetic energy back to potential energy afterwards then you have to design a building that will bounce.
                  $endgroup$
                  – gandalf61
                  23 hours ago












                • $begingroup$
                  Speaking of bouncing, skyscrapers actually swing. There were strips created that generate electricity. They placed them under a bridge and anytime car passed it generated electricity. So if a very long string is attached this could work but in that case I think the wind energy would be more efficient but who knows.
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  20 hours ago






                • 6




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper In all of those cases the energy isn't coming from nowhere. For the strips that generate electricity from moving cars, that energy comes from reducing the speed of the cars as they pass through (even if only a tiny bit), meaning in aggregate you are reducing the mileage of those cars. It's basically an extremely inefficient generator that runs on gas. You could get energy from swaying buildings, but that energy is from the wind moving the building, and as you said, directly harnessing the wind is going to be far more efficient. In every case the energy has to come from somewhere
                  $endgroup$
                  – Kevin Wells
                  19 hours ago


















                • $begingroup$
                  I understand this, maybe my question should be is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  yesterday






                • 3




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper Sure. A few well placed explosive charges will convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic energy for a short period, before this kinetic energy is used to break a lot of chemical bonds. I believe there are videos of the phenomena available on YouTube :) But if you want to convert some of the kinetic energy back to potential energy afterwards then you have to design a building that will bounce.
                  $endgroup$
                  – gandalf61
                  23 hours ago












                • $begingroup$
                  Speaking of bouncing, skyscrapers actually swing. There were strips created that generate electricity. They placed them under a bridge and anytime car passed it generated electricity. So if a very long string is attached this could work but in that case I think the wind energy would be more efficient but who knows.
                  $endgroup$
                  – Grasper
                  20 hours ago






                • 6




                  $begingroup$
                  @Grasper In all of those cases the energy isn't coming from nowhere. For the strips that generate electricity from moving cars, that energy comes from reducing the speed of the cars as they pass through (even if only a tiny bit), meaning in aggregate you are reducing the mileage of those cars. It's basically an extremely inefficient generator that runs on gas. You could get energy from swaying buildings, but that energy is from the wind moving the building, and as you said, directly harnessing the wind is going to be far more efficient. In every case the energy has to come from somewhere
                  $endgroup$
                  – Kevin Wells
                  19 hours ago
















                $begingroup$
                I understand this, maybe my question should be is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?
                $endgroup$
                – Grasper
                yesterday




                $begingroup$
                I understand this, maybe my question should be is it possible to convert the potential energy of a building into a kinetic?
                $endgroup$
                – Grasper
                yesterday




                3




                3




                $begingroup$
                @Grasper Sure. A few well placed explosive charges will convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic energy for a short period, before this kinetic energy is used to break a lot of chemical bonds. I believe there are videos of the phenomena available on YouTube :) But if you want to convert some of the kinetic energy back to potential energy afterwards then you have to design a building that will bounce.
                $endgroup$
                – gandalf61
                23 hours ago






                $begingroup$
                @Grasper Sure. A few well placed explosive charges will convert the potential energy of a building into kinetic energy for a short period, before this kinetic energy is used to break a lot of chemical bonds. I believe there are videos of the phenomena available on YouTube :) But if you want to convert some of the kinetic energy back to potential energy afterwards then you have to design a building that will bounce.
                $endgroup$
                – gandalf61
                23 hours ago














                $begingroup$
                Speaking of bouncing, skyscrapers actually swing. There were strips created that generate electricity. They placed them under a bridge and anytime car passed it generated electricity. So if a very long string is attached this could work but in that case I think the wind energy would be more efficient but who knows.
                $endgroup$
                – Grasper
                20 hours ago




                $begingroup$
                Speaking of bouncing, skyscrapers actually swing. There were strips created that generate electricity. They placed them under a bridge and anytime car passed it generated electricity. So if a very long string is attached this could work but in that case I think the wind energy would be more efficient but who knows.
                $endgroup$
                – Grasper
                20 hours ago




                6




                6




                $begingroup$
                @Grasper In all of those cases the energy isn't coming from nowhere. For the strips that generate electricity from moving cars, that energy comes from reducing the speed of the cars as they pass through (even if only a tiny bit), meaning in aggregate you are reducing the mileage of those cars. It's basically an extremely inefficient generator that runs on gas. You could get energy from swaying buildings, but that energy is from the wind moving the building, and as you said, directly harnessing the wind is going to be far more efficient. In every case the energy has to come from somewhere
                $endgroup$
                – Kevin Wells
                19 hours ago




                $begingroup$
                @Grasper In all of those cases the energy isn't coming from nowhere. For the strips that generate electricity from moving cars, that energy comes from reducing the speed of the cars as they pass through (even if only a tiny bit), meaning in aggregate you are reducing the mileage of those cars. It's basically an extremely inefficient generator that runs on gas. You could get energy from swaying buildings, but that energy is from the wind moving the building, and as you said, directly harnessing the wind is going to be far more efficient. In every case the energy has to come from somewhere
                $endgroup$
                – Kevin Wells
                19 hours ago











                2












                $begingroup$

                The other answers give perfectly valid examples of e.g. a "grandfather's" clock, where you have to put in external energy from time to time - here, to lift the weight back up against gravity.

                However, I feel that there is an additional aspect to the original question: The asker probably wants to stay completely passive and just harness the potential energy of the building, sitting on earth's surface, somehow.
                To this, I say:



                TL;DR: Theoretically possible, but practically meaningless.



                First of all, let's look at the basic formulae:
                As the OP stated, a building exerts pressure on the ground. Pressure equals Force divided by Area:
                $$P=frac{F}{A}$$
                So, to get the force a building exerts on the ground, we have to factor in Area.
                No problem, the relevant area, the 'footprint' of the building certainly is known.

                Now, what we want to get out of this is Energy. And Energy is Force times distance:
                $$E=Fcdot s$$
                And that's distance downwards (hereafter denoted by $h$), because that's the direction the force works and therefore that's where Energy is to be gained. The force is, of course, gravitational force, so we finally get:
                $$E=F cdot h = m cdot g cdot h$$
                Now, we've got everything we need. Drop a skyscraper (let's say $m = 200 000 t = 200 000 000 kg$) down, say, $10m$, in a controlled fashion(*) and you're looking at
                $$E = m cdot g cdot h = 200 000 000kg cdot 9.81frac{m}{s^2} cdot 10m = 19 620 000 000J = 19.62GJ$$
                that you could harvest.



                However, as you might have suspected by now, this is a one-time-only-ever-fullstop-period-type of deal. You can get that energy exactly once (**) and then, never again. You have to put up at least the same $19,62GJ$ to lift the skyscraper back up and repeat the exercise, gaining nothing in the process.

                And factor in the energy expenditure from digging the $10m$ hole in the first place, putting up some mechanism to drop the skyscraper in a controlled manner and harvest the energy, you're certainly looking at expenditures that greatly surpass anything that is to be gained.

                So... it's probably not worth trying.



                (*) just throwing it down would probably cause it to collapse and release additional energy originally expended while building the skyscraper, but all that energy would be pretty much non-harvestable...

                (**) at least within our earth's lifetime






                share|cite|improve this answer








                New contributor




                user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.






                $endgroup$


















                  2












                  $begingroup$

                  The other answers give perfectly valid examples of e.g. a "grandfather's" clock, where you have to put in external energy from time to time - here, to lift the weight back up against gravity.

                  However, I feel that there is an additional aspect to the original question: The asker probably wants to stay completely passive and just harness the potential energy of the building, sitting on earth's surface, somehow.
                  To this, I say:



                  TL;DR: Theoretically possible, but practically meaningless.



                  First of all, let's look at the basic formulae:
                  As the OP stated, a building exerts pressure on the ground. Pressure equals Force divided by Area:
                  $$P=frac{F}{A}$$
                  So, to get the force a building exerts on the ground, we have to factor in Area.
                  No problem, the relevant area, the 'footprint' of the building certainly is known.

                  Now, what we want to get out of this is Energy. And Energy is Force times distance:
                  $$E=Fcdot s$$
                  And that's distance downwards (hereafter denoted by $h$), because that's the direction the force works and therefore that's where Energy is to be gained. The force is, of course, gravitational force, so we finally get:
                  $$E=F cdot h = m cdot g cdot h$$
                  Now, we've got everything we need. Drop a skyscraper (let's say $m = 200 000 t = 200 000 000 kg$) down, say, $10m$, in a controlled fashion(*) and you're looking at
                  $$E = m cdot g cdot h = 200 000 000kg cdot 9.81frac{m}{s^2} cdot 10m = 19 620 000 000J = 19.62GJ$$
                  that you could harvest.



                  However, as you might have suspected by now, this is a one-time-only-ever-fullstop-period-type of deal. You can get that energy exactly once (**) and then, never again. You have to put up at least the same $19,62GJ$ to lift the skyscraper back up and repeat the exercise, gaining nothing in the process.

                  And factor in the energy expenditure from digging the $10m$ hole in the first place, putting up some mechanism to drop the skyscraper in a controlled manner and harvest the energy, you're certainly looking at expenditures that greatly surpass anything that is to be gained.

                  So... it's probably not worth trying.



                  (*) just throwing it down would probably cause it to collapse and release additional energy originally expended while building the skyscraper, but all that energy would be pretty much non-harvestable...

                  (**) at least within our earth's lifetime






                  share|cite|improve this answer








                  New contributor




                  user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                  Check out our Code of Conduct.






                  $endgroup$
















                    2












                    2








                    2





                    $begingroup$

                    The other answers give perfectly valid examples of e.g. a "grandfather's" clock, where you have to put in external energy from time to time - here, to lift the weight back up against gravity.

                    However, I feel that there is an additional aspect to the original question: The asker probably wants to stay completely passive and just harness the potential energy of the building, sitting on earth's surface, somehow.
                    To this, I say:



                    TL;DR: Theoretically possible, but practically meaningless.



                    First of all, let's look at the basic formulae:
                    As the OP stated, a building exerts pressure on the ground. Pressure equals Force divided by Area:
                    $$P=frac{F}{A}$$
                    So, to get the force a building exerts on the ground, we have to factor in Area.
                    No problem, the relevant area, the 'footprint' of the building certainly is known.

                    Now, what we want to get out of this is Energy. And Energy is Force times distance:
                    $$E=Fcdot s$$
                    And that's distance downwards (hereafter denoted by $h$), because that's the direction the force works and therefore that's where Energy is to be gained. The force is, of course, gravitational force, so we finally get:
                    $$E=F cdot h = m cdot g cdot h$$
                    Now, we've got everything we need. Drop a skyscraper (let's say $m = 200 000 t = 200 000 000 kg$) down, say, $10m$, in a controlled fashion(*) and you're looking at
                    $$E = m cdot g cdot h = 200 000 000kg cdot 9.81frac{m}{s^2} cdot 10m = 19 620 000 000J = 19.62GJ$$
                    that you could harvest.



                    However, as you might have suspected by now, this is a one-time-only-ever-fullstop-period-type of deal. You can get that energy exactly once (**) and then, never again. You have to put up at least the same $19,62GJ$ to lift the skyscraper back up and repeat the exercise, gaining nothing in the process.

                    And factor in the energy expenditure from digging the $10m$ hole in the first place, putting up some mechanism to drop the skyscraper in a controlled manner and harvest the energy, you're certainly looking at expenditures that greatly surpass anything that is to be gained.

                    So... it's probably not worth trying.



                    (*) just throwing it down would probably cause it to collapse and release additional energy originally expended while building the skyscraper, but all that energy would be pretty much non-harvestable...

                    (**) at least within our earth's lifetime






                    share|cite|improve this answer








                    New contributor




                    user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.






                    $endgroup$



                    The other answers give perfectly valid examples of e.g. a "grandfather's" clock, where you have to put in external energy from time to time - here, to lift the weight back up against gravity.

                    However, I feel that there is an additional aspect to the original question: The asker probably wants to stay completely passive and just harness the potential energy of the building, sitting on earth's surface, somehow.
                    To this, I say:



                    TL;DR: Theoretically possible, but practically meaningless.



                    First of all, let's look at the basic formulae:
                    As the OP stated, a building exerts pressure on the ground. Pressure equals Force divided by Area:
                    $$P=frac{F}{A}$$
                    So, to get the force a building exerts on the ground, we have to factor in Area.
                    No problem, the relevant area, the 'footprint' of the building certainly is known.

                    Now, what we want to get out of this is Energy. And Energy is Force times distance:
                    $$E=Fcdot s$$
                    And that's distance downwards (hereafter denoted by $h$), because that's the direction the force works and therefore that's where Energy is to be gained. The force is, of course, gravitational force, so we finally get:
                    $$E=F cdot h = m cdot g cdot h$$
                    Now, we've got everything we need. Drop a skyscraper (let's say $m = 200 000 t = 200 000 000 kg$) down, say, $10m$, in a controlled fashion(*) and you're looking at
                    $$E = m cdot g cdot h = 200 000 000kg cdot 9.81frac{m}{s^2} cdot 10m = 19 620 000 000J = 19.62GJ$$
                    that you could harvest.



                    However, as you might have suspected by now, this is a one-time-only-ever-fullstop-period-type of deal. You can get that energy exactly once (**) and then, never again. You have to put up at least the same $19,62GJ$ to lift the skyscraper back up and repeat the exercise, gaining nothing in the process.

                    And factor in the energy expenditure from digging the $10m$ hole in the first place, putting up some mechanism to drop the skyscraper in a controlled manner and harvest the energy, you're certainly looking at expenditures that greatly surpass anything that is to be gained.

                    So... it's probably not worth trying.



                    (*) just throwing it down would probably cause it to collapse and release additional energy originally expended while building the skyscraper, but all that energy would be pretty much non-harvestable...

                    (**) at least within our earth's lifetime







                    share|cite|improve this answer








                    New contributor




                    user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.









                    share|cite|improve this answer



                    share|cite|improve this answer






                    New contributor




                    user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.









                    answered 5 hours ago









                    user58973user58973

                    211




                    211




                    New contributor




                    user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.





                    New contributor





                    user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.






                    user58973 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                    Check out our Code of Conduct.























                        1












                        $begingroup$

                        Simply No. If you could generate energy simply from the potential energy of the building, induced by gravity, without somehow permanently decreasing that energy, you would build some sort of perpetuum mobile.



                        If you would gain usable energy (like an electrical current) out of the potential energy of the building, without reducing the mass of the building and without altering the gravitational field, you would have created energy out of nothing, but energy is conserved.






                        share|cite|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$













                        • $begingroup$
                          Isn't gravitational force a perpetuum mobile? or at least it has the potential to be.
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper How so? You only get energy from the gravity by moving closer together. At some point, you can't get any closer and the energy doesn't increase.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          yesterday










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac because gravity is always there available?
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper But the objects aren't always apart. You can extract some energy from the system; but in extracting that energy you remove potential energy from the system; which you can only do a finite amount until there is no potential left. In a perfect isolated system with no loss, you in theory could have it move forever without energy exchange. Wikipedia calls that "perpetual motion of the third kind", and it's still not possible in practice. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion#Classification
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          23 hours ago










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac Since the objects are still attracted to and exert force on each other when they meet, your explanation doesn't really address the source of Grasper's confusion. The question is about why we can't generate power from these forces when the objects are touching.
                          $endgroup$
                          – talrnu
                          20 hours ago
















                        1












                        $begingroup$

                        Simply No. If you could generate energy simply from the potential energy of the building, induced by gravity, without somehow permanently decreasing that energy, you would build some sort of perpetuum mobile.



                        If you would gain usable energy (like an electrical current) out of the potential energy of the building, without reducing the mass of the building and without altering the gravitational field, you would have created energy out of nothing, but energy is conserved.






                        share|cite|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$













                        • $begingroup$
                          Isn't gravitational force a perpetuum mobile? or at least it has the potential to be.
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper How so? You only get energy from the gravity by moving closer together. At some point, you can't get any closer and the energy doesn't increase.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          yesterday










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac because gravity is always there available?
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper But the objects aren't always apart. You can extract some energy from the system; but in extracting that energy you remove potential energy from the system; which you can only do a finite amount until there is no potential left. In a perfect isolated system with no loss, you in theory could have it move forever without energy exchange. Wikipedia calls that "perpetual motion of the third kind", and it's still not possible in practice. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion#Classification
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          23 hours ago










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac Since the objects are still attracted to and exert force on each other when they meet, your explanation doesn't really address the source of Grasper's confusion. The question is about why we can't generate power from these forces when the objects are touching.
                          $endgroup$
                          – talrnu
                          20 hours ago














                        1












                        1








                        1





                        $begingroup$

                        Simply No. If you could generate energy simply from the potential energy of the building, induced by gravity, without somehow permanently decreasing that energy, you would build some sort of perpetuum mobile.



                        If you would gain usable energy (like an electrical current) out of the potential energy of the building, without reducing the mass of the building and without altering the gravitational field, you would have created energy out of nothing, but energy is conserved.






                        share|cite|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$



                        Simply No. If you could generate energy simply from the potential energy of the building, induced by gravity, without somehow permanently decreasing that energy, you would build some sort of perpetuum mobile.



                        If you would gain usable energy (like an electrical current) out of the potential energy of the building, without reducing the mass of the building and without altering the gravitational field, you would have created energy out of nothing, but energy is conserved.







                        share|cite|improve this answer












                        share|cite|improve this answer



                        share|cite|improve this answer










                        answered yesterday









                        Patrik PuchertPatrik Puchert

                        313




                        313












                        • $begingroup$
                          Isn't gravitational force a perpetuum mobile? or at least it has the potential to be.
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper How so? You only get energy from the gravity by moving closer together. At some point, you can't get any closer and the energy doesn't increase.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          yesterday










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac because gravity is always there available?
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper But the objects aren't always apart. You can extract some energy from the system; but in extracting that energy you remove potential energy from the system; which you can only do a finite amount until there is no potential left. In a perfect isolated system with no loss, you in theory could have it move forever without energy exchange. Wikipedia calls that "perpetual motion of the third kind", and it's still not possible in practice. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion#Classification
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          23 hours ago










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac Since the objects are still attracted to and exert force on each other when they meet, your explanation doesn't really address the source of Grasper's confusion. The question is about why we can't generate power from these forces when the objects are touching.
                          $endgroup$
                          – talrnu
                          20 hours ago


















                        • $begingroup$
                          Isn't gravitational force a perpetuum mobile? or at least it has the potential to be.
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper How so? You only get energy from the gravity by moving closer together. At some point, you can't get any closer and the energy doesn't increase.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          yesterday










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac because gravity is always there available?
                          $endgroup$
                          – Grasper
                          yesterday






                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @Grasper But the objects aren't always apart. You can extract some energy from the system; but in extracting that energy you remove potential energy from the system; which you can only do a finite amount until there is no potential left. In a perfect isolated system with no loss, you in theory could have it move forever without energy exchange. Wikipedia calls that "perpetual motion of the third kind", and it's still not possible in practice. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion#Classification
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          23 hours ago










                        • $begingroup$
                          @JMac Since the objects are still attracted to and exert force on each other when they meet, your explanation doesn't really address the source of Grasper's confusion. The question is about why we can't generate power from these forces when the objects are touching.
                          $endgroup$
                          – talrnu
                          20 hours ago
















                        $begingroup$
                        Isn't gravitational force a perpetuum mobile? or at least it has the potential to be.
                        $endgroup$
                        – Grasper
                        yesterday




                        $begingroup$
                        Isn't gravitational force a perpetuum mobile? or at least it has the potential to be.
                        $endgroup$
                        – Grasper
                        yesterday




                        1




                        1




                        $begingroup$
                        @Grasper How so? You only get energy from the gravity by moving closer together. At some point, you can't get any closer and the energy doesn't increase.
                        $endgroup$
                        – JMac
                        yesterday




                        $begingroup$
                        @Grasper How so? You only get energy from the gravity by moving closer together. At some point, you can't get any closer and the energy doesn't increase.
                        $endgroup$
                        – JMac
                        yesterday












                        $begingroup$
                        @JMac because gravity is always there available?
                        $endgroup$
                        – Grasper
                        yesterday




                        $begingroup$
                        @JMac because gravity is always there available?
                        $endgroup$
                        – Grasper
                        yesterday




                        1




                        1




                        $begingroup$
                        @Grasper But the objects aren't always apart. You can extract some energy from the system; but in extracting that energy you remove potential energy from the system; which you can only do a finite amount until there is no potential left. In a perfect isolated system with no loss, you in theory could have it move forever without energy exchange. Wikipedia calls that "perpetual motion of the third kind", and it's still not possible in practice. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion#Classification
                        $endgroup$
                        – JMac
                        23 hours ago




                        $begingroup$
                        @Grasper But the objects aren't always apart. You can extract some energy from the system; but in extracting that energy you remove potential energy from the system; which you can only do a finite amount until there is no potential left. In a perfect isolated system with no loss, you in theory could have it move forever without energy exchange. Wikipedia calls that "perpetual motion of the third kind", and it's still not possible in practice. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion#Classification
                        $endgroup$
                        – JMac
                        23 hours ago












                        $begingroup$
                        @JMac Since the objects are still attracted to and exert force on each other when they meet, your explanation doesn't really address the source of Grasper's confusion. The question is about why we can't generate power from these forces when the objects are touching.
                        $endgroup$
                        – talrnu
                        20 hours ago




                        $begingroup$
                        @JMac Since the objects are still attracted to and exert force on each other when they meet, your explanation doesn't really address the source of Grasper's confusion. The question is about why we can't generate power from these forces when the objects are touching.
                        $endgroup$
                        – talrnu
                        20 hours ago











                        1












                        $begingroup$

                        Absolutely, yes. We actually do that, for example in an old-fashioned grandfather clock. They have big weights inside. You give the clock energy by raising the weights up, and then they go down slowly (due to gravity) and in a very precise way, to drive the clock.



                        In theory, you could fathom a building where you put a huuuuuuge spring between its base and earth, and after the building is complete, you raise it up with some pretty substantial external energy input (some hydraulic mechanism driven by whatever source you wish). Then, as the building presses down and slowly compresses the spring, you could use that movement to drive whatever generator you like.



                        This has only two practical problems: 1) if you're able to find the energy to lift the house in the first place, why would you need this complicated contraption at all and 2) obviously totally impractical for reasons of "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time - Aaron Stevens"...






                        share|cite|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$









                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          Wouldn't putting a spring underneath be extremely impractical? A large portion of the energy would be going into the potential energy of the spring instead of whatever storage system you are using; unless the spring is your storage system, in which case I don't know how you get the energy back out in a usable way (besides just expanding the spring, which I imagine is a waste). You would need the spring to be built on top of some sort of base that could relax itself after the spring compressed to get the energy out; at that point you might as well build it on that base.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          18 hours ago








                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @JMac, obviously... it's a thought experiment.
                          $endgroup$
                          – AnoE
                          17 hours ago
















                        1












                        $begingroup$

                        Absolutely, yes. We actually do that, for example in an old-fashioned grandfather clock. They have big weights inside. You give the clock energy by raising the weights up, and then they go down slowly (due to gravity) and in a very precise way, to drive the clock.



                        In theory, you could fathom a building where you put a huuuuuuge spring between its base and earth, and after the building is complete, you raise it up with some pretty substantial external energy input (some hydraulic mechanism driven by whatever source you wish). Then, as the building presses down and slowly compresses the spring, you could use that movement to drive whatever generator you like.



                        This has only two practical problems: 1) if you're able to find the energy to lift the house in the first place, why would you need this complicated contraption at all and 2) obviously totally impractical for reasons of "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time - Aaron Stevens"...






                        share|cite|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$









                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          Wouldn't putting a spring underneath be extremely impractical? A large portion of the energy would be going into the potential energy of the spring instead of whatever storage system you are using; unless the spring is your storage system, in which case I don't know how you get the energy back out in a usable way (besides just expanding the spring, which I imagine is a waste). You would need the spring to be built on top of some sort of base that could relax itself after the spring compressed to get the energy out; at that point you might as well build it on that base.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          18 hours ago








                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @JMac, obviously... it's a thought experiment.
                          $endgroup$
                          – AnoE
                          17 hours ago














                        1












                        1








                        1





                        $begingroup$

                        Absolutely, yes. We actually do that, for example in an old-fashioned grandfather clock. They have big weights inside. You give the clock energy by raising the weights up, and then they go down slowly (due to gravity) and in a very precise way, to drive the clock.



                        In theory, you could fathom a building where you put a huuuuuuge spring between its base and earth, and after the building is complete, you raise it up with some pretty substantial external energy input (some hydraulic mechanism driven by whatever source you wish). Then, as the building presses down and slowly compresses the spring, you could use that movement to drive whatever generator you like.



                        This has only two practical problems: 1) if you're able to find the energy to lift the house in the first place, why would you need this complicated contraption at all and 2) obviously totally impractical for reasons of "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time - Aaron Stevens"...






                        share|cite|improve this answer









                        $endgroup$



                        Absolutely, yes. We actually do that, for example in an old-fashioned grandfather clock. They have big weights inside. You give the clock energy by raising the weights up, and then they go down slowly (due to gravity) and in a very precise way, to drive the clock.



                        In theory, you could fathom a building where you put a huuuuuuge spring between its base and earth, and after the building is complete, you raise it up with some pretty substantial external energy input (some hydraulic mechanism driven by whatever source you wish). Then, as the building presses down and slowly compresses the spring, you could use that movement to drive whatever generator you like.



                        This has only two practical problems: 1) if you're able to find the energy to lift the house in the first place, why would you need this complicated contraption at all and 2) obviously totally impractical for reasons of "The utility of buildings is typically that they remain stationary so people can use them consistently and for a long time - Aaron Stevens"...







                        share|cite|improve this answer












                        share|cite|improve this answer



                        share|cite|improve this answer










                        answered 19 hours ago









                        AnoEAnoE

                        1,800412




                        1,800412








                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          Wouldn't putting a spring underneath be extremely impractical? A large portion of the energy would be going into the potential energy of the spring instead of whatever storage system you are using; unless the spring is your storage system, in which case I don't know how you get the energy back out in a usable way (besides just expanding the spring, which I imagine is a waste). You would need the spring to be built on top of some sort of base that could relax itself after the spring compressed to get the energy out; at that point you might as well build it on that base.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          18 hours ago








                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @JMac, obviously... it's a thought experiment.
                          $endgroup$
                          – AnoE
                          17 hours ago














                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          Wouldn't putting a spring underneath be extremely impractical? A large portion of the energy would be going into the potential energy of the spring instead of whatever storage system you are using; unless the spring is your storage system, in which case I don't know how you get the energy back out in a usable way (besides just expanding the spring, which I imagine is a waste). You would need the spring to be built on top of some sort of base that could relax itself after the spring compressed to get the energy out; at that point you might as well build it on that base.
                          $endgroup$
                          – JMac
                          18 hours ago








                        • 1




                          $begingroup$
                          @JMac, obviously... it's a thought experiment.
                          $endgroup$
                          – AnoE
                          17 hours ago








                        1




                        1




                        $begingroup$
                        Wouldn't putting a spring underneath be extremely impractical? A large portion of the energy would be going into the potential energy of the spring instead of whatever storage system you are using; unless the spring is your storage system, in which case I don't know how you get the energy back out in a usable way (besides just expanding the spring, which I imagine is a waste). You would need the spring to be built on top of some sort of base that could relax itself after the spring compressed to get the energy out; at that point you might as well build it on that base.
                        $endgroup$
                        – JMac
                        18 hours ago






                        $begingroup$
                        Wouldn't putting a spring underneath be extremely impractical? A large portion of the energy would be going into the potential energy of the spring instead of whatever storage system you are using; unless the spring is your storage system, in which case I don't know how you get the energy back out in a usable way (besides just expanding the spring, which I imagine is a waste). You would need the spring to be built on top of some sort of base that could relax itself after the spring compressed to get the energy out; at that point you might as well build it on that base.
                        $endgroup$
                        – JMac
                        18 hours ago






                        1




                        1




                        $begingroup$
                        @JMac, obviously... it's a thought experiment.
                        $endgroup$
                        – AnoE
                        17 hours ago




                        $begingroup$
                        @JMac, obviously... it's a thought experiment.
                        $endgroup$
                        – AnoE
                        17 hours ago











                        0












                        $begingroup$

                        We already do. Take a look at any hydropower plant in the world. The problem with trying to harness the potential energy of buildings is they would have to fall down. Being inside a building that's doing this would be disconcerting at best.






                        share|cite|improve this answer








                        New contributor




                        Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                        Check out our Code of Conduct.






                        $endgroup$


















                          0












                          $begingroup$

                          We already do. Take a look at any hydropower plant in the world. The problem with trying to harness the potential energy of buildings is they would have to fall down. Being inside a building that's doing this would be disconcerting at best.






                          share|cite|improve this answer








                          New contributor




                          Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.






                          $endgroup$
















                            0












                            0








                            0





                            $begingroup$

                            We already do. Take a look at any hydropower plant in the world. The problem with trying to harness the potential energy of buildings is they would have to fall down. Being inside a building that's doing this would be disconcerting at best.






                            share|cite|improve this answer








                            New contributor




                            Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.






                            $endgroup$



                            We already do. Take a look at any hydropower plant in the world. The problem with trying to harness the potential energy of buildings is they would have to fall down. Being inside a building that's doing this would be disconcerting at best.







                            share|cite|improve this answer








                            New contributor




                            Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.









                            share|cite|improve this answer



                            share|cite|improve this answer






                            New contributor




                            Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.









                            answered 7 hours ago









                            Jon OliphantJon Oliphant

                            1




                            1




                            New contributor




                            Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.





                            New contributor





                            Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.






                            Jon Oliphant is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                            Check out our Code of Conduct.






























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