Which of the following is NOT a requirement for static equilibrium?

In the context of static equilibrium, it is essential for certain conditions to be met for an object to remain in a state of rest or balance. Two major requirements include that the sum of forces acting on the object must equal zero, ensuring that there are no net forces causing movement in any direction, and the sum of torques around any point must also equal zero, allowing the object to not rotate.

The requirement that an object is at rest is tied deeply to the concept of static equilibrium, as static equilibrium refers specifically to objects that are not moving. However, potential energy being equal to zero is not a necessary condition for an object to be in static equilibrium. Potential energy can take on various values based on the configuration and position of the object in a gravitational field or other contexts, and it does not influence the state of forces and torques acting on the object. Thus, stating that potential energy must be zero is not a requirement for static equilibrium, which makes this the correct answer.