Visualise the counterintuitive world of quantum mechanics — from wavefunction collapse at the double slit to electron tunnelling through potential barriers.
Each simulation runs fully in the browser — no server, no installation
The mathematics and theory behind quantum simulations
Wave functions, tunnelling, and superposition — visualised
Quantum mechanics simulations solve the Schrödinger equation numerically to show how particles behave when quantum effects dominate. The 1D wave packet spreads and tunnels through barriers that classical particles could never penetrate. The hydrogen orbital visualiser renders electron probability clouds (s, p, d orbitals) as 3D density plots from the exact analytic solution. The double-slit simulation shows how a single-particle distribution builds up the famous interference pattern one click at a time.
These simulations use split-operator Fourier methods and real-space finite-difference integration to propagate quantum states accurately. By adjusting barrier width, particle energy, or orbital quantum numbers you directly observe the counterintuitive predictions of quantum theory — quantised energy levels, wave-function collapse, zero-point energy, and the complementarity of position and momentum.
Quantum physics simulations make abstract formalism visceral. The double-slit experiment — which Richard Feynman called 'the only mystery' of quantum mechanics — shows wave-particle duality in an undeniable way. Hydrogen orbital shapes are not just pretty pictures: they are the real probability clouds that chemists use to predict molecular bonding geometry, reaction pathways, and spectroscopic signatures. These simulations bridge the gap between textbook equations and physical intuition.
Topics and algorithms you'll explore in this category
5 questions — wave functions, tunnelling, and more
Common questions about this simulation category