PBS Space Time Season 2016 Episode 22 Is Quantum Tunneling Faster Than Light?

PBS Space Time is a popular science program that covers a wide range of topics in physics, astrophysics, cosmology and other related fields. In season 2016 episode 22 titled "Is Quantum Tunneling Faster Than Light?" the program explores one of the most intriguing phenomena in quantum mechanics - quantum tunneling.

Quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that deals with the behavior of particles at the atomic and subatomic level. It is a theory that has been widely tested and verified, and yet it defies our classical intuition about the way the world works. One of the key features of quantum mechanics is the concept of wave-particle duality, which means that particles can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior depending on how they are observed.

One of the most fascinating consequences of this principle is quantum tunneling, which occurs when a particle appears to "tunnel" through a barrier that should theoretically be impenetrable to it. In the classical world, if a ball rolls towards a hill it does not have enough energy to climb, it will stop and roll back down. But in the quantum world, particles like electrons can actually tunnel through these barriers and emerge on the other side, as if they had magically teleported.

The question that this episode of PBS Space Time addresses is whether quantum tunneling is faster than light, even though it is often described as an instantaneous process. The concept of the speed of light is a fundamental cornerstone of modern physics, and is the basis for much of our understanding of the universe. The speed of light is often seen as a speed limit, beyond which nothing can travel.

However, quantum tunneling seems to violate this principle, as particles can seemingly cross vast distances in no time at all. In fact, some scientists have even suggested that quantum tunneling could be used to send information faster than the speed of light, which would be a major breakthrough in our understanding of physics.

To explore this idea, the program examines several theories and experiments designed to test the speed of quantum tunneling. It looks at the role of uncertainty and the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics, and how these factors can influence the apparent speed of tunneling.

The program also explores the concept of entanglement, which is another peculiar feature of quantum mechanics. Entanglement is a phenomenon where two particles can become connected in such a way that the state of one particle can be inferred by observing the other, regardless of the distance between them. This seems to defy the principle of locality, which states that no information can travel faster than the speed of light.

By examining experiments that involve entangled particles, the program shows how quantum tunneling can be used to "teleport" information from one place to another, without violating the speed of light. The concept of teleportation is not just science fiction, but a reality that has been demonstrated in the lab.

Overall, this episode of PBS Space Time provides an enlightening and accessible introduction to the strange and wonderful world of quantum mechanics. It demonstrates how the principles of quantum mechanics can challenge our classical understanding of physics, and how they can offer new insights into the nature of the universe.