On the scale of molecules and galaxies, the laws of physics follow an analog interpretation that is continuous with an infinite resolution. Infinity, a concept that exists only in mathematics and imaginations, is needed to be used.
On the scale of atoms and smaller, the laws of physics as specified by quantum mechanics is a digital interpretation that is discrete. Quantum theory claims that reality is not continuous but rather granular and discrete. It is not possible to zoom into the fabric of reality like zooming into a Mandelbrot equation and keep seeing patterns. Eventually, the pixels of reality are reached and in between the pixels, there is nothing.
It is no wonder that when we zoom into reality, until its pixels are reached, we observe paradoxes like the wave-particle duality of energy and matter as manifested by light.
Everything becomes statistical and probabilistic instead of deterministic. Reactions can happen spontaneously without any actions to cause them. Particles suddenly appear from nowhere, just to unexpectedly disappear as if they were playful dolphins. Atoms suddenly break apart without any reason as if they had alarm clocks inside them to wake them up. Reality becomes uncertain and philosophical, where measurement, whether observed or not of a process affects the process itself. Like animals in labs with too many probes attached.
Two properties of quantum objects that seem paradoxical are “superposition” and “entanglement”.
Superposition is observed when a quantum object is found to be in more than one place at any one time and/or with more than one state at any time. This can be visualized in a propeller that spins very much faster than what we are able to perceive. The spinning propeller, which is in reality a stick, seems to occupy every position on the perceived disk.
Similarly, quantum objects display superposition if they move from the position “here” to the position “there” very much faster than light travels.
Entanglement is when 2 quantum objects in 2 different places and/or states behave as one object. This phenomenon can be understood if we regard the 2 entangled quantum objects as one object that is moving between the 2 places so fast, that it displays the superposition property explained above.
Using quantum theory, quantum computers which could be exponentially faster than classical digital computers can one day be developed.
Analog computers use variable levels of currents to represent any numbers desired. The currents could not be kept sufficiently stable and accurate, and changing them was slow and energy consuming.
Digital computers of today use currents with only 2 discrete levels designated as “1s” and “0s” called bits.
Quantum computers of the future will use photons and electrons that can have more than 2 discrete states called qubits.
This can be visualized by comparing 3 locks that represent 3 computers. The locks are unlocked by choosing an integer number between 0-1,023.
- The analog computer of the past is represented by a lock which is unlocked by 1 key containing a continuous level to give a number between 0.00000...--->1,023.000000....
- The digital computer of the present is represented by a lock which is unlocked by 10 keys, each with 2 discrete levels. An integer between 0-1,023 is binary coded using 10 bits.
- The quantum computer of the future is represented by a lock which is unlocked by 1 key with 1,023 discrete fixed states to give an integer between 0-1,023.
Quantum computers are so precise and accurate that they are able to do what analog computers can not. Analog computers are limited in that they are too imprecise and thus too crude, clumsy and are too easily drowned out by the noisy environment. One quantum computer is like millions of parallel computers running simultaneously at solving a particular problem.
Because quantum computers use qubit that can have more than one state at any one time, they have the potential to be exponentially faster than digital computers. They will be able to break presently used encryption schemes that need an unrealistic amount of time to break with digital computers.
Because it is impossible to copy data encoded in a quantum state and the very act of reading data encoded in a quantum state changes the state, quantum computers have great potential for securing data communication against forgers and eavesdroppers.
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