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Introduction to Quantum Computers
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introduction
A quantum computer is one which exploits quantum-mechanical interactions in order to function; this behavior, found in nature, possesses incredible potential to manipulate data in ways unattainable by machines today. The harnessing and organization of this power, however, poses no small difficulty to those who quest after it.
Subsequently, the concept of quantum computing, birthed in the early 80's by physicist Richard Feynman, has existed largely in the realm of theory. Miraculous algorithms which potentially would take a billionth of the time required for classical computers to perform certain mathematical feats, and are implementable only on quantum computers, as such have not yet been realized. A two-bit quantum system, recently developed by a coalition of researchers, constitutes the sole concrete manifestation of the idea.
The intent of these pages is provide a rudimentary understanding of the roots and progress of quantum computing, in order that one may realize the presence and growing significance of this fusion of quantum theory and computation.
overview
The bit, most basic unit of information within a computer, is the building block for all data residing within. An alphanumeric character, for example, usually consumes 1 byte, or 8 bits, of memory. A 2-byte, unsigned integer would be allowed to range from 00000000 00000000 to 11111111 1111111 in binary, or 0-65535 in decimal notation (0-216).
The “bit” of a quantum computer, referred to as qubit (short for quantum bit), might be represented as an atom. Qubits, however, possess an intrinsic and most significant quality: they may simultaneously be assigned 0 or 1, the probability of each expressed as a numerical coefficient. This ability allows quantum computers to exist in multiple states at once, called superposition by those knowledgeable of such things. Subsequently, actions may be carried out in all states simultaneously, allowing parallel operations to be performed with one processing unit. A phenomenon dubbed “entanglement” joins qubits together in a quantum system.
Superpositioning opens the way for several fascinating and potentially problematic uses for quantum computers. Factoring numbers of several hundred digits, a tactic needed to crack some encryption schemes currently in use, would take billions of years on the fastest supercomputers. Theoretically, this might take a year on quantum computers.
I hope to bridge the gap between computer science and physics by researching quantum computing. This rapidly-growing field has already produced unprecedented
The novel, Alice and Quantum Land, by Robert Gilmore is an adventure in the Quantum universe. Alice, a normal teenage girl, goes through quantum land and understands what quantum is and how it works. The quantum world is a difficult one to understand, as its nature is one of complex states of being, natures, principles, notions, and the like. When these principles or concepts are compared with the macro world, one can find great similarities and even greater dissimilarities between the world wherein electrons rule, and the world wherein human beings live. In Alice in Quantumland, author Robert Gilmore converts the original tale of Alice in Wonderland from a world of anthropomorphic creatures into the minute world of quantum mechanics, and attempts to ease the reader into this confusing world through a series of analogies (which comprise an allegory) about the principles of quantum mechanics. Through Alice’s adventure she comes across some ideas or features that contradict real world ideas. These ideas are the following: Electrons have no distinguishing spin, the Pauli Exclusion Principle, Superposition, Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and Interference and Wave Particle Duality.
The study of neurobiology has long involved the actions and interactions among neurons and their synapses. Changes in concentrations of various ions carry impulses to and from the central nervous system and are responsible for all the information processed by the nervous system as a whole. This has been the prominent theory for many years, but, now, there is a new one to be reckoned with; the Quantum Brain Theory (QBT). Like many new theories, the QBT has merits and flaws. Many people are wholeheartedly sold on it; however, this vigor might be uncalled for. Nevertheless, this could prove to be a valid and surprisingly accurate theory of brain function.
Mark Baker adopts a variety of text types and multiple voices in The Fiftieth Gate in order to allow his responder to view his parents’ experiences from a multitude of ways. Baker as a historian, embraces the memory of his parents in his exploration of the past. The examination of records, facts, interviews and statistics allows one to gain an understanding of specific details, as well as providing a context for the human story. Instead of focusing on historical sources, Mark Baker focuses on giving a perspective which reflects his family as much as their family history. The utilisation of the various voices and text types emphasise the complexity of unraveling the past and marks his progression along the journey through the gates. Through
A very famous example of such a project is the Deep Blue. Deep Blue was the machine who beat Garry Kasparov at chess. It is one of the cornerstones of the advances that have happened in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
Goldstine, Herman H. "Computers at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School." The Jayne Lecture. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol 136, No.1. January 24, 1991
Of the many counter intuitive quirks of quantum mechanics, the strangest quirk is perhaps the notion of quantum entanglement. Very roughly, quantum entanglement a phenomenon where the state of a large system cannot be described by the state of the smaller systems that compose it. On the standard metaphysical interpretation of quantum entanglement, this is taken to show that there exists emergent properties1. If this standard interpretation is correct, it seems that physics paints a far different picture of the world then commonsense leads one to believe.
In March, Einstein creates the quantum theory of light, the idea that light exists as tiny packets, or particles, that we now call photons. Alongside Max Planck's work on quanta of heat, and Niels Bohr's later work on quanta of matter, Einstein's work anchors the most shocking idea in twentieth century physics: we live in a quantum universe, one built out of tiny, discrete chunks of energy and matter.
Stemming from the first years of the 20th century, quantum mechanics has had a monumental influence on modern science. First explored by Max Planck in the 1900s, Einstein modified and applied much of the research in this field. This begs the question, “how did Einstein contribute to the development and research of quantum mechanics?” Before studying how Einstein’s research contributed to the development of quantum mechanics, it is important to examine the origins of the science itself. Einstein took much of Planck’s experimental “quantum theory” research and applied it in usable ways to existing science. He also greatly contributed to the establishment of the base for quantum mechanics research today. Along with establishing base research in the field, Einstein’s discoveries have been modified and updated to apply to our more advanced understanding of this science today. Einstein greatly contributed to the foundation of quantum mechanics through his research, and his theories and discoveries remain relevant to science even today.
1 David Halliday, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walker, Fundamentals of Physics, Extended, 5th ed. (NewYork:Wiley, 1997) 361
Although the majority of people cannot imagine life without computers, they owe their gratitude toward an algorithm machine developed seventy to eighty years ago. Although the enormous size and primitive form of the object might appear completely unrelated to modern technology, its importance cannot be over-stated. Not only did the Turing Machine help the Allies win World War II, but it also laid the foundation for all computers that are in use today. The machine also helped its creator, Alan Turing, to design more advanced devices that still cause discussion and controversy today. The Turing Machine serves as a testament to the ingenuity of its creator, the potential of technology, and the glory of innovation.
The most common refutation to the notion of mental states in digital computers is that there are inherent limits of computation and that there are inabilities that exist in any algorithm to...
American Institute of Physics. Vol. 1051 Issue 1 (2008). Academic Search Premier.> 224. http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=34874307&site=ehost-live.
Von Neumann architecture, or the Von Neumann model, stems from a 1945 computer architecture description by the physicist, mathematician, and polymath John von Neumann and others. This describes a design architecture for an electronic digital computer with a control unit containing an instruction register and program counter , external mass storage, subdivisions of a processing unit consisting of arithmetic logic unit and processor registers, a memory to store both data and commands, also an input and output mechanisms. The meaning of the term has grown to mean a stored-program computer in which a command fetch and a data operation cannot occur at the same time because they share a common bus. This is commonly referred to as the Von Neumann bottleneck and often limits the performance of a system.
The date is April 14, 2035 a young woman is woken up by the silent alarm in her head. She gets up and steps into her shower where the tiles sense her presence and calculate the water to the precise temperature that she likes. The news flashes in her eyes announcing that today is the tenth anniversary of the day quantum computing was invented. She gets dressed and puts on her favorite hat with a smartband embedded in the rim, allowing her access to anything she needs just by thinking it. Her car is waiting with her trip preprogrammed into it. She arrives at the automated airport to see her associate waiting for her. By the look in his eyes she can tell he is doing a quick online search in his mind. Technology is constantly growing and soon this future will be a reality.