Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets
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About
Topics
- Quantum Particles
- Tunneling
Description
Watch quantum "particles" tunnel through barriers. Explore the properties of the wave functions that describe these particles.
Sample Learning Goals
- Visualize wave functions for constant, step, and barrier potentials.
- Visualize both plane wave and wave packet solutions to the Schrodinger equation and recognize how they relate to each other.
- Interpret and distinguish the real part, imaginary part, and absolute value of the wave function, as well as the probability density.
- Recognize how the probability of reflection and transmission of a wave are related to the energy of the wave, the energy of the step or barrier, and the width of the barrier.
- Recognize that that a plane wave has a single value of energy and a wave packet has a range of a range of energies.
- Explain how incoming and reflected waves interfere.
For Teachers
Teacher Tips
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Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ). |
Teacher-Submitted Activities
| Title |
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Authors | Level | Type |
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| Reflection and Transmission Interactive Lecture |
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Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins, and Carl Wieman | UG-Adv | CQs |
| How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? |
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Sarah Borenstein | MS | Other | |
| Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS |
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Trish Loeblein | HS | Other | |
| MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment | Elyse Zimmer | HS MS |
Other | ||
| potential barrier lab | Tim Paglione | UG-Adv | Lab |
Translations
Software Requirements
| Windows | Macintosh | Linux |
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Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later
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OS 10.5 or later Sun Java 1.5.0_19 or later
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Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later
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Credits
| Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
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