A potential barrier is a region in space where the potential energy is higher than in surrounding areas, creating a barrier that can influence the movement of particles, such as electrons. In quantum mechanics, this concept is crucial for understanding tunneling phenomena, where particles can pass through barriers they classically shouldn't be able to cross due to their energy levels. This phenomenon reveals the non-intuitive nature of quantum behavior, where particles exhibit wave-like properties and can penetrate barriers under certain conditions.
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