Rectangular potential barrier

Imagine you are playing with toy cars on a long straight track. But suddenly, there is a big wall in the middle of the road - this is like a rectangular potential barrier. The toy cars can either go over it, go around it, or try to push through it.

In science, we use a barrier like this to study how particles (like electrons) move through different materials. The barrier looks like a rectangle on a graph, showing how high or low the energy level is at different points.

Just like the toy cars, the particles can either go over the barrier, go around it, or try to push through it. If they have lots of energy, they might be able to push through. But if the barrier is too high, they might get stuck or bounce back.

Scientists use the rectangular potential barrier to study things like quantum tunneling - a strange phenomenon where particles can move through an area that they shouldn't be able to. By understanding how particles behave in different materials, scientists can create better technologies like computer chips and solar panels.