According to our current understanding of quantum mechanics, there is a phenomenon known as quantum tunneling that allows particles to pass through energy barriers that, according to classical physics, they should not be able to overcome. However, when it comes to "macroscopic" objects, such as everyday objects we encounter in the classical world, the probability of observing quantum tunneling is extremely low.
The reason for this is primarily due to the process of decoherence. Decoherence is the interaction of a quantum system with its environment, which causes the loss of quantum coherence and the transition to classical behavior. For macroscopic objects, interactions with the environment, such as thermal fluctuations or collisions with other particles, are numerous and strong enough to quickly disrupt any quantum superposition or tunneling behavior.
There are several factors or mechanisms that contribute to the suppression or omission of non-zero probability for quantum tunneling of macroscopic objects:
Interaction with the environment: The environment constantly interacts with macroscopic objects, leading to decoherence. These interactions cause the rapid loss of quantum superpositions and the destruction of delicate quantum states required for tunneling.
Energy considerations: Macroscopic objects have a large number of particles and possess significant thermal energy. The energy required for a macroscopic object to tunnel through an energy barrier becomes exponentially improbable due to the large number of particles involved.
System size and mass: Macroscopic objects are typically composed of a vast number of atoms or particles. The larger the system's size and mass, the less likely it is for quantum tunneling to occur. The probability of tunneling decreases exponentially with the mass of the object.
Observational limitations: Observing quantum tunneling in macroscopic objects is challenging due to technical limitations and the sensitivity required for such measurements. It becomes increasingly difficult to experimentally detect tunneling effects as the complexity and size of the system increase.
While quantum tunneling is a well-established phenomenon at the microscopic level, its observation or significance in macroscopic objects is exceedingly rare and highly unlikely under normal circumstances.