# Particle Outside the Box

What prohibits, mathematically, that a particle cannot be found outside the box ? Here, I am referring to particle in a box problem (infinite potential on both ends & zero potential along the length of the box).

• well, infinite potential along the boundary of the box is a mathematical way of saying the particle cannot cross it with any finite energy (which any fnite particle has) – Nikos M. Sep 30 '14 at 11:17

To explicitly verify this, one solves the problem for a box of finite depth $V_0$. If you additionally assume the wavefunction and its first derivative to be continuous across the potential step, the solution becomes a matter of
2. Match $\phi$ and $\phi'$ at the potential steps, say at $x=\pm L$
Essentially, the wavefunction behaves in the classically forbidden regions, where $V_0\gt E$ like $$\phi(x) \sim \exp[-\sqrt{2m(V_0-E)}\,x]$$ Thus sending $V_0 \rightarrow \infty$, you'll find $\phi$ vanishing in those regions.
Keep in mind, that we demanded $\phi$ and its derivative to be continuous everywhere. It's not immediately clear, at least for the second condition, why this should hold. I believe, demanding a continuous derivative is necessitated by the fact, that our potential is discontinuous. If one considers a smooth potential, I think one can drop this condition.