what is the unit of potential energy

The unit of potential energy is joules (J) . Physicists measure potential energy, along with every other form of energy, in joules. One joule is equivalent to one newton-meter or one kilogram-meter squared per second squared. The gravitational potential energy of an object is given by the formula U = mgh, where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the object above a reference point.