Physics – Physics Education
Scientific paper
Dec 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006aas...20920925m&link_type=abstract
2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #209.25; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society,
Physics
Physics Education
Scientific paper
Tunneling is one of the most surprising and interesting consequences of quantum mechanics. Typical instruction on tunneling centers on what can be calculated analytically, namely the transmission coefficient for a plane wave tunneling through a square barrier. To remove the limitation of calculation, and to allow students to explore tunneling of plane waves and wave packets, we have created an interactive computer simulation[1] as part of the Physics Education Technology Project (PhET)[2]. Like all PhET simulations, the Quantum Tunneling simulation is highly interactive, allowing students to manipulate the energy by dragging lines directly on the graph, and to change many other aspects of the physical system and representation. This simulation is based on research, designed to address common student difficulties and misconceptions[3], and allows students to freely explore a great variety of physical situations that would be extremely difficult to calculate by hand. Using this simulation in class has led to an unexpected consequence: because it provides such an accurate and detailed visual representation, many issues which are swept under the rug in standard instruction are suddenly brought to the surface and must be addressed. For example, for plane waves, the wave speed is not equal to the particle speed and the transmitted wave can have higher amplitude than the incident wave. This poster will discuss how to use this simulation to teach tunneling, as well as how to address the many subtle points that it brings to the surface.
1.http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/quantum-tunneling/quantum-tunneling.jnlp
2.http://phet.colorado.edu
3.S.B. McKagan and C.E. Wieman, PERC Proceedings 2005.
McKagan S. B.
Perkins Katherine K.
Wieman Carl E.
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