0

What is the probability of a silicon atom going from the moon and landing on the Earth? The reason is that there is a barrier that the silicon atom has to cross which is the moon's own gravity so that it can enter a lower energy state. Is it possible and is it very unlikely for it to occur?

MiltonTheMeme
  • 1,458
  • 4
  • 18
  • What formulations have you considered in a proposed approach to answer your question? – Jeffrey J Weimer Sep 18 '22 at 15:05
  • I am talking conceptually because it makes sense that there would be a tiny chance of a particle from a moon tunneling down towards the Earth because of the need for particles to want to have a lower energy state. – MiltonTheMeme Sep 18 '22 at 15:07
  • Your question asks for a probability. A probability is a number. A number is not a concept, it comes from a calculation. You might reframe your question or, as I suggested, show where you are confused about applying the appropriate formulations that should give a probability as a number. – Jeffrey J Weimer Sep 18 '22 at 15:20
  • You could estimate this using the WKB approximation. The probability will be nonzero but absurdly small. But would it not be more fun to calculate the chance that a human quantum-tunnels to the Moon? Or that the Earth quantum-tunnels into orbit around Alpha Centauri? – Ghoster Sep 18 '22 at 17:05

1 Answers1

0

A physicist would say that the probability would be very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very small.

An engineer would say indistinguishable from zero.

A recovering ex-engineer would say don't hold your breath or stand on one foot while waiting.

niels nielsen
  • 92,630