No hocus, and certainly no pocus, required.
Monday, September 19, 2022
Quantum Tunneling
Quantum tunneling works because the barrier is also made of particles whose location is not fixed. Sometimes, the barrier particles aren't there to block the tunneling particle, and it escapes. Think of a jail break from a prison where the guards are numerous and on random patrol schedules and routes. Every once in a while, if you get lucky and time it just right, you can walk out while all the guards just happen to be absent or looking the other way. The more guards there are, the less likely this opportunity is to occur.
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This might be the sanest, or perhaps the first, explanation of quantum tunneling I have encountered. Sure, other sources say, 'this can happen'... but.. that's about all.
ReplyDeleteI do recall an article in (Scientific American??) that also noted that sometimes tunneling particles exceeded the speed of light, because they "appeared" beyond the barrier. Just a probability wave function, though. Nothing that could be used for FTL comms.
ReplyDeleteJohn - SA also says men can become women if they wish really hard.
DeleteNothing exceeds the speed of light. Not even gravity. The wave function is a probabilistic expression of knowledge. Tunneling is a perfectly normal behavior that is merely rare. Think of it as a game of Plinko where the pegs are random distances apart and constantly moving, and it might make more sense. Or perhaps that rare chance on the highway when the cars in front of you all just happen to get out of your way at the same time.
I "quantum tunneled" my way home today. In a Very Rare Occurrence, ALL lights were green as I reached them!
DeleteHeh! Sometimes the stars align just right.
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