Quantum Tunneling: How Particles Cross Impossible Barriers

Quantum tunneling lets particles slip through barriers they don’t have enough energy to cross.
It’s like a ghost walking through a wall—impossible in classical physics, but real in the quantum world.
Tunneling happens because particles act like waves that can extend beyond barriers.
Even though the chance is tiny, given enough tries, particles can appear on the other side.
Tunneling explains nuclear fusion in stars, where protons overcome repulsive forces.
Scanning tunneling microscopes use this effect to image surfaces at the atomic level.
Radioactive decay relies on tunneling as particles escape atomic nuclei.
Quantum tunneling is vital in modern electronics, especially in semiconductors and microchips.
It proves that uncertainty and probability dominate at the smallest scales.
Without tunneling, stars—including our Sun—couldn’t shine as they do today.