The barrier is not symmetrical because of radioactive decay only. You get energy out during radioactive decay (i.e., Alpha decay). This is due to QM tunneling. At its root, this energy increase comes from the uncertainty principle and is a matter of pure chance.
On Sat, Aug 11, 2012 at 11:44 PM, <mix...@bigpond.com> wrote: > In reply to David Roberson's message of Sat, 11 Aug 2012 23:30:47 -0400 > (EDT): > Hi, > [snip] > > > >I think that it is symmetrical. If you begin outside of the nucleus and > enter energy is released. If you then reclaim that same amount of energy > back to the nucleus and allow the proton to exit, you will be at the same > condition as you started. The net round trip yields a balanced condition > with no net energy transferred. > [snip] > This is just a restatement of the conservation of energy. The very fact > that you > need to supply energy to the nucleus in order to prize a particle free > proves > that the barrier is not symmetrical. > > ...make that "prise a particle free" (That's what I had originally, but my > spell > checker didn't like it.) > > Regards, > > Robin van Spaandonk > > http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/project.html > >
