Let's Delve into imminent
- Vraj Shah
- Jul 2, 2022
- 3 min read
Twenty-seven years before Steve Jobs unveiled a computer you could put in your pocket, physicist Paul Benioff published a paper showing it was theoretically possible to build a much more powerful system you could hide in a thimble — a quantum computer.
Let's play a game. Imagine that you are in a casino, and you decide to play a game on one of the casino's computer, just like you might play any other normal games. The computers can make moves in the game, just like a human player. This is a coin game. It starts with a coin showing heads, and computer will play first. It can choose to flip the coin or not, and you cannot see the outcome. Next is your turn for flipping the coin and this time computer too can't see the outcome. And this goes on for multiple rounds, and after that the coin is revealed, if coin is heads computer wins and vice-versa. So with this simple computers you have chance of winning by 50% probability. But in case of quantum computers your chance of winning goes down to merely 4%, such powerful brains they are!
But what actually are quantum computers? Let's find out together. Fasten your seat-belts and let's dive into the quantum world!
Understanding the Incredible
For most of our history, the technology consisted of our brains, fire and sharp tools. While Fire and sharp tools evolved to become power plant and nuclear weapons, the biggest upgrades have happen to our brains. Since 1960's the power of our brain machines have grown exponentially, allowing computers to go small and powerful at same time, but this process is about to meet it's physical limitation.And to overcome this limitations Quantum computing is introduced. Before that let's clear a myth! Quantum computers are not a new powerful version of present computers but it's a completely new kind of computers, just being as different as candles and bulbs.
Quantum computers are new kind of device based on the science of quantum physics, and just like the light bulb transformed society, this machines have the potential to impact so many aspects of our lives.
But what is a quantum computer? Well, quantum physics describes the behavior of atoms and fundamental particles like photons and electrons. So quantum computing operates by controlling the behavior of these particles, but in a way that is completely different from our regular computers.
A regular computer simulates heads or tails of a coin as a bit, a 0 or 1, or as off and on states inside your computer chip. A quantum computer is completely different. A quantum bit has a more fluid, non-binary identity, known as qubits. So let's take a pause and understand what are qubits!
Qubits
A qubit can be any two level quantum system such as a spin and a magnetic field, or a single photon. 0 and 1 are the system's possible states. In this quantum world, qubit doesn't have to be just one of those, instead it can be in any proportions of both states at once(in simple terms: it will be 0 and 1 simultaneously but in proportions like for eg, the proportion of 0 is 30% will that of 1 is 70%). This is called superposition. But as soon as you perform the operations, it has to decide to be in either one state.
In a nutshell, the qubit is in a superposition of probabilities for 0 and 1, and you can't predict which it'll be.But the instance you run a task it collapses into one of the definite states.
Four classical bits can be in one of the 2^4 configurations at a time, while qubits can be in all possible configurations at once!(Yes qubits are game changers). The task that a simple computer takes 10000 years to complete, quantum computer takes only a few seconds. This is due to time saved in changing the states in bits, as they already contains both bits, and can produce results instantly!
If you think it is absolutely weird, you are absolutely right. We don't experience this fluid quantum reality in our everyday lives. So if you are confused by quantum, don't worry you are getting it!
Well I guess it's too long for now. Part 2 coming soon!
This is Vraj signing off :) Hope to see you soon.
OP bhai❤️