Question

what is potential energy

Answer 1

the energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other factors.

Answer 2

All of the objects are in positions that can potentially hurt you. In other words, they have energy ready to be released, and when it is, these objects will do work.
In science, energy is often described as the ability to do work. So, potential energy is energy that can do work at some point in the future.
Potential energy, expressed in science as U , is energy that is stored within an object, not in motion but capable of becoming active.