potential wells

A potential well is a concept used in physics and engineering to describe a situation where a particle, like an atom or electron, is trapped in a certain region in space. Imagine it as a valley in a landscape: particles can move freely within the valley but need energy to escape to higher ground. The "walls" of the well represent energy barriers, while the depth of the valley indicates how strongly the particle is bound. This idea helps explain behaviors in various fields, such as quantum mechanics, where particles exist in specific states due to these energy constraints.