Talk:Insulator
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Pretty sure of last sentence, but there may be strange quantum effects that allow it?
- A perfect insulator is indeed impossible, but not because of the second law. The second law says that the entropy of the universe must either increase or stay the same. The reason a perfect insulator is impossible is in fact a "strange quantum effect". If there is an electron on one side of an insulator, its wavefunction must extend to the other side, because the wavefunction is analytic. If there is a lower potential on the other side, the electron will eventually tunnel through and conduct electricity.
- I'd fix it myself, but my recent exchange on Talk:Quantum mechanics has made me meek. I'll wait for someone else to change it. -- Tim Starling 06:59 Nov 11, 2002 (UTC)