Simulating the Tunnel Effect #physics #maths #science #python #education

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]This here is the quantum mechanical equivalent of throwing a ball against a wall.

[00:00:06]I know it doesn't really look like it, but let me explain.

[00:00:10]What we're doing here is sending a particle in the form of a wave packet against the potential.

[00:00:18]Classically, we would expect it to just bounce back since it doesn't have enough energy to surpass the potential.

[00:00:26]Again, like a ball thrown against the wall.

[00:00:35]But, we can clearly see that a portion also makes it through the potential and just carries on as a wave packet up until it hits the edge of our simulation.

[00:00:46]This phenomenon of a wave function passing through a potential is known as the tunnel effect.