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Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets

This simulation has been used and tested in the classroom, and on multiple computer platforms. The simulation has been refined based on that experience and on student interviews.
Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets Screenshot Download 1,692 kB
Version: 1.12 (change log)
Watch quantum "particles" tunnel through barriers. Explore the properties of the wave functions that describe these particles.

See Below

Teaching Resources

Main Topics

  • Quantum Particles
  • Tunneling

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.

Tips for Teachers

The teacher's guide (pdf) contains tips created by the PhET team.

Teaching Ideas

Title Authors Level Type Updated
Reflection and Transmission Interactive Lecture This contribution was designed by PhET. This contribution has received a Gold Star because it is a high quality inquiry-based activity that follows the PhET design guidelines (PDF) and teachers have found it useful. Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins, and Carl Wieman UG-Adv CQs 1/9/11
potential barrier lab Tim Paglione UG-Adv Lab 11/3/09

You can submit your own ideas and activities.

Translated Versions:

Language Language (Translated) Simulation Title
Basque Basque Barneratze kuantikoa eta Uhin paketeak Run Now
Bosnian Bosnian KVANTNI TUNEL EFEKAT I TALASNI PAKET Run Now
Chinese - Simplified 中文 (中国) 量子隧道与波包 Run Now
Chinese - Traditional 中文 (台灣) 量子穿隧效應與波包 Run Now
Croatian hrvatski Kvantno tuneliranje i valni paketi Run Now
Danish Dansk Kvante-tunnelering og bølgepakker Run Now
Dutch Nederlands Kwantumtunnelling en Golfdeeltjes Run Now
French français EFFET TUNNEL QUANTIQUE ET PAQUETS D'ONDES Run Now
German Deutsch Tunneleffekt und Wellenpakete Run Now
Greek Ελληνικά Φαινόμενο Σήραγγας και Κυματοδέματα Run Now
Hebrew עברית אפקט המנהור וחבילות גלים Run Now
Hungarian magyar Alagúthatás és hullámcsomagok Run Now
Indonesian Bahasa Indonesia Terowongan Kuantum dan Paket Gelombang Run Now
Japanese 日本語 量子トンネル現象と波束 Run Now
Korean 한국어 양자 터널링 및 파속 Run Now
Macedonian македонски Квантно тунелирање и Бранови пакети Run Now
Mongolian Mongolian Квант тунель ба Долгионы багцууд Run Now
Persian Persian تونل زنی کوانتومی و بسته های موج Run Now
Polish polski Tunelowanie kwantowe i paczki falowe Run Now
Portuguese português Tunelamento Quântico Run Now
Russian русский Квантовое туннелирование и волновые пакеты Run Now
Serbian Српски КВАНТНИ ТУНЕЛ ЕФЕКАТ И ТАЛАСНИ ПАКЕТ Run Now
Slovak Slovenčina Kvantové tunelovanie a vlnové balíky Run Now
Spanish español Penetración Mecánico-Cuántica y Paquete de Ondas Run Now
Spanish (Peru) español (Perú) Túnel Cuántico y Paquetes de Onda Run Now
Turkish Türkçe Dalga Paketleri ve Kuantum Tüneli Run Now
Turkmen Turkmen Kwant tunnelleme we tolkun toparlary Run Now
Vietnamese Tiếng Việt Hiệu ứng chui hầm lượng tử và gói sóng. Run Now

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later 		OS 10.5 or later
Sun Java 1.5.0_19 or later 		Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Chris Malley (developer)
  • Sam McKagan (lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Sam McKagan
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