Tunneling is not "applied" when an unexpected phenomenon occurs. Tunneling is a phenomenon completely described within quantum mechanics. The word is a metaphor because it represents a particle's ability to penetrate a narrow potential energy barrier higher than its own kinetic energy, but the phenomenon is perfectly well described by quantum mechanical theory developed nearly a century ago, and taught at the undergraduate physics level. The experimental rates match the expected rates to ridiculous accuracy.
The only conflict is with classical mechanics. But tunneling is not superimposed on classical theory so classical theory can be retained. Quantum mechanics is a self-consistent theory, and tunneling is an intrinsic part of it. Perhaps it's no wonder that someone with such a misguided understanding of elementary physics is also a true believer in cold fusion. On Fri, May 3, 2013 at 10:56 AM, Edmund Storms <stor...@ix.netcom.com>wrote: > Perhaps, Joe, I should be more exact. We are not discussing motion of > electrons through a material. The concept of tunneling might be useful to > describe this behavior. We were discussing nuclear reactions. Tunneling is > applied when a reaction that should not be possible based on a theory is > found to actually occur at an unexpected rate. This conflict with theory is > then explained by the ability of the process to avoid the expected barrier > and pass under it, so to speak. This allows the original theory to be > retained even though behavior is not properly described. Instead, a whole > new theory is superimposed on the original flawed description. I prefer to > change the original concept to avoid the need to create a new concept. In > fact, the existence of LENR shows that the original concept is incomplete. > Invoking "tunneling" simply hides the problem. > > Ed Storms > > > On May 3, 2013, at 9:44 AM, Joseph S. Barrera III wrote: > > On 5/3/2013 8:31 AM, Edmund Storms wrote: >> >> > Eric, tunneling in my mind is not real. It is a conceptual ploy to fix >> a flawed understanding of how a process actually works. Consequently, I do >> not use this concept. >> >> Tunneling is very real. Semiconductor manufacturers have to worry about >> tunneling already. It's a massive problem for them as they continue to >> shrink feature size, as the electrons simply tunnel through the gate when >> they shouldn't, and below a certain size the transistor is "always on". >> >> - Joe >> >> >> >
