Because this process favors Marcus–Coltrin paths on the concave side of a reaction pathway, it drives the “bobsled effect.” In transition state theory, this process’s impact on rate is added as a fudge factor using a zero-curvature approximation. Very high kinetic isotope effects that are not temperature-dependent indicate that this process controls a reaction’s rate. For reactions that rely on this process, such as proton tautomer·ization or amine racemization, a factor symbolized capital Q is added to the Arrhenius equation. This process accelerates DNA muta·genesis and speeds up alcohol de·hydrogen·ase in two examples of quantum biology. This process allows a helium nucleus to escape a huge electrostatic potential in Gamow’s (“GAM-ovs”) theory of alpha decay. For 10 points, name this process that speeds up reactions by allowing particles to pass under the activation energy barrier. ■END■
ANSWER: quantum tunneling [or tunnel effect; prompt on pyramidal inversion or umbrella inversion by asking “what physical process is the mechanism?”]
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= Average correct buzz position