Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 40 - One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics - Conceptual Questions - Page 1212: 7

Answer

$(P_{\rm{tunnel}})_d \gt (P_{\rm{tunnel}})_a \gt (P_{\rm{tunnel}})_b \gt (P_{\rm{tunnel}})_c$

Work Step by Step

We know that $$P_{\rm{tunnel}} = e^{\frac{-2w}{\eta}}$$ where $\eta = \frac{\hbar}{\sqrt{2m(U_0 - E)}}$ So, $$P_{\rm {tunnel}} = e^{\left[\dfrac{-2w\sqrt{2m(U_0 - E)}}{\hbar}\right]}$$ Applying this formula to the 4 barriers. $\textbf{For barrier a:}$ $$(P_{\rm {tunnel}})_a = e^{\left[\dfrac{-2w\sqrt{2m(1)}}{\hbar}\right]}$$ $$\boxed{(P_{\rm {tunnel}})_a = e^{\left[\dfrac{-2.83\;w\sqrt{ m }}{\hbar}\right]}}$$ $\textbf{For barrier b:}$ $$(P_{\rm {tunnel}})_b = e^{\left[\dfrac{-2w\sqrt{2m(2)}}{\hbar}\right]}$$ $$\boxed{(P_{\rm {tunnel}})_b= e^{\left[\dfrac{-4\;w\sqrt{ m }}{\hbar}\right]}}$$ $\textbf{For barrier c:}$ $$(P_{\rm {tunnel}})_c = e^{\left[\dfrac{-2(2w)\sqrt{2m(1)}}{\hbar}\right]}$$ $$\boxed{(P_{\rm {tunnel}})_c= e^{\left[\dfrac{-5.66\;w\sqrt{ m }}{\hbar}\right]}}$$ $\textbf{For barrier d:}$ $$(P_{\rm {tunnel}})_d = e^{\left[\dfrac{-2(0.5w)\sqrt{2m(2)}}{\hbar}\right]}$$ $$\boxed{ (P_{\rm {tunnel}})_d= e^{\left[\dfrac{-2\;w\sqrt{ m }}{\hbar}\right]}}$$ We know that the larger the negative exponent, the smaller the value. So that the ranking is then as follows: $$ \boxed{\boxed{(P_{\rm{tunnel}})_d \gt (P_{\rm{tunnel}})_a \gt (P_{\rm{tunnel}})_b \gt (P_{\rm{tunnel}})_c}}\; $$
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