An electron with energy E is incident on a potential energy barrier of height E_pot and thickness L.The probability of tunneling increases if: A)E decreases without any other changes B)E_pot increases without any other changes C)L decreases without any other changes D)E and E_pot increase by the same amount E)E and E_pot decrease by the same amount

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The probability of tunneling through a potential barrier in quantum mechanics increases as the thickness (L) of the barrier decreases, according to the quantum tunneling effect. This is because the wave function of the particle decays exponentially with the thickness of the barrier, making it more likely for the particle to tunnel through a thinner barrier.

An Electron with Energy E Is Incident on a Potential