Creative Commons License Copyright © Michael Richmond. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Potential Barriers and Quantum Tunnelling 











  Calculate the following:

Q: Probability that the particle is in a region of width dx at x = 0?

Q: Probability that the particle is in a region of width dx at x = 0.5 skin depths?

Q: Probability that the particle is in a region of width dx at x = 1.0 skin depths?

Q: Probability that the particle is in a region of width dx at x = 2.0 skin depths?

Q: Probability that the particle is in a region of width dx at x = 10.0 skin depths?

One can explain radioactive decay of heavy elements via the quantum tunneling of particles out from their nuclei.

The electric potential energy around a U-238 nucleus has a barrier about 28 MeV high located about 9.3 fm from the center of the nucleus. An alpha particle inside with energy 4 MeV needs to tunnel through over 60 fm to escape from the nucleus.

Creative Commons License Copyright © Michael Richmond. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.