potentsial

Potensial, or potensial, is a term used across science and everyday language to denote a capacity to develop or exert power under suitable conditions. The word derives from Latin potens, meaning capable, and the suffix -ial.

In physics, potential commonly refers to potential energy, energy stored due to position in a field, such as gravitational or electric fields. A related concept is a scalar potential function, whose gradient gives a force field; for electric fields, the electric potential V defines E = -∇V and the potential difference between two points is measured in volts.

In chemistry and thermodynamics, chemical potential describes how the energy of a system changes with particle number and drives diffusion and phase transitions. It is a key quantity in phase equilibria and reaction dynamics, influencing how matter distributes itself among available states.

In mathematics, potential theory studies harmonic and subharmonic functions; a potential function encodes how a source influences space and is connected to equations such as Laplace’s and Poisson’s equations. This framework helps model fields generated by distributions of charge, mass, or other sources.

In everyday use, potential denotes latent capacity or possibility—for individuals, organizations, or economies—and is used in phrases such as growth potential or market potential, referring to what might be achieved under favorable conditions.