Quantum Tunneling: Electron or Proton Has Greater Probability?

AI Thread Summary
In quantum tunneling, an electron and a proton with the same energy E do not have the same probability of passing through a potential barrier. The electron, being less massive, moves faster than the proton, which may result in a larger wavefunction amplitude for the electron. This increased amplitude suggests that the electron has a higher probability of tunneling through the barrier compared to the proton. Additionally, the proton's longer wavelength at the same energy contributes to its lower tunneling probability. Overall, the differences in mass and wavefunction characteristics significantly affect their tunneling probabilities.
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An electron and proton with the same energy E approch a potential barrier whose height V is greater than E. Do they have the same probabilty of getting through? If not, which has a greater probability? Why is that true?

So if the electron and proton have the same energy, that means that the electron must be moving faster than the proton becuase the proton is more massive. Becuse the electron is moving faster, would its wavefunction have a larger amplitude than that of the proton?

If that is so, then I think the electron is has a higher probabilty of getting through.


Any thoughts...refrences?
 
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does it have to do with that fact that a proton has a longer wavelenght than the electron at the same energy?
 

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