Quantum Computing Made Easy

Quantum computing opens a new world of possibilities. It has brought with it increased levels of thinking. It acts as a common language between the sciences: Math, Physics, Chemistry and Computers. It helps in easy solving of complex problems. It is used in secure communications. Overall, it is a biggest advance which changes the way we think of the universe.

Quantum Theory: -

The study of quantum theory started in early 1900’s. The theory was never complete or self-consistent. It was more of a generalized prescription. The improvement in study of quantum theory through the years can be seen by these statements given by great scientists.

Marvelous .what ideas the young people have these days. But I don’t believe a word of it.

------Albert Einstein

I myself only came to believe in the uncertainty relations after many pangs of conscience…

------Werner Heisenberg

Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood a single word.

------Neils Bohr

What is a Quantum Computing?

Quantum computing is the method in which the quantum properties are used to represent data and perform operations on these data.

What is quantum computer?

A quantum computer is a device that makes use of the quantum mechanical properties for computation and to perform operations on data.

“A quantum computer is to a regular computer, what a laser is to a lightbulb.”

--Seth Lloyd, MIT

What are quantum mechanical properties?

The laws such as Quantum superposition and entanglement are called as the quantum mechanical properties. Quantum mechanics is a set of scientific principles describing the known behavior of energy and matter that predominate at the atomic and subatomic scales. The name derives from the observation that some physical quantities such as the energy of an electron can be changed only by set amounts, or quanta, rather than being capable of varying by any amount.

How different is a quantum computer from a normal computer?

Currently the computer chips are filled with the gates which have width of few fractions of microns. In quantum computing the gates will move to the atomic level. At the atomic level matter obeys rules of quantum mechanics. This provides two advantages of using the quantum computer:-

1. Allows complete new algorithms which help in faster computations.

2. It is better than cramming more and more gates on a chip.

The Basics of Quantum Computing:-

1. An atom, not an electron ; is the physical bit

2. An electron is 0 or 1

3. An atom can be 0,1 or both

4. The bit in quantum mechanics is a QUBIT.

What’s the difference?

n bits can store one of 2ⁿ numbers at any time

n qubits can store all 2ⁿ numbers at once

The advantages of qubits: -

1. Adding qubits increases storage exponentially

2. Can do operations on all superpositions; like parallel computation.

--> One math operation on 2ⁿ numbers encoded with n bits requires 2ⁿ steps or 2ⁿ parallel processors.

-->The same operation on 2ⁿ numbers encoded by n qubits take 1 step.

3. This makes complex problems easier.

Example: Factoring

1. As the number of digits increase the factoring takes longer.

2. Increasing CPU speed only increases calculation linearly.

3. Factoring 1000 digits number classically would take longer than the lifetime of universe.

4. Quantum computers do this in minutes.

Example: - Cryptography

RSA cryptography relies on the difficulty of factoring large numbers to be secure…

Quantum Cryptography

1. To break RSA a hacker would need a large scale quantum computer (10,000 qubits).

2. Quantum computing offers new possibilities for secure communication.

2. a. Entanglement: - Two quantum bits when combined for a purpose perform better than two normal bits

2. b. Teleportation: - Two entangled objects can only be known by their “owners”.

3. Entangled atoms are used as keys.

Troubles to work out: -

1. Must reduce decoherence i.e the computation spreads beyond local computers and effects other qubits. Qubits must only interact with themselves, not their environment.

2. Current quantum computers have as few as around 10 qubits. 1000’s of qubits would be ideal.

Future of Quantum computing

1. It can be used for better cryptography.

2. A molecular computer becomes a possibility.

3. It will surely be able to solve problems, which are not quite problems yet.

FLOPENHAGEN!!!! What went wrong?

7th of December when delegates from 150 countries met in Copenhagen to discuss on climate issues, everyone thought " finally they are meeting to control the level of emissions and save the earth from global warming"; they did not expect the turn of events in next 12 days.

"HOPEnhagen" as people called it having hope from this meet to have positive results to save the earth. It turned out to be completely HOPELESS!!

WHAT WENT WRONG?
1. All the developed countries denied to follow KYOTO protocol, which says that all developed countries have to cut their emissions from the industries in these countries.

2. BIG MOUTH SMALL DEEDS:- Mr Barack Obama denied any cut in the emissions. Let us recall his first speech as president in which he mentions saving the nature as one of the prime goals . By "nature" he meant earth or Iraq? USA doesn't even want to sacrifice a single minute of power cut to reduce emission from power generation sector. And, so is the case with all other developed countries.

3. India stands in 5th position emissions at around 4.5% of total emissions. But our dear environmental minister Jairam Ramesh strictly said there that India wont cut on its emissions.

WHY CAN'T WE? There are many industries in India which use obsolete technologies leading to more pollution. Same goes with the automobiles. Along with this a mass awareness can be created among the people to conserve power and fuel.
Honestly....how many of us switch off the car engines in the heavy traffic??.. or how many of us switch of lights and other appliances when not used??
These are few things which can be done in our daily life. Infinite ideas are given by people around me which can reduce the emissions.But , our environmental minister says India will not cut its emissions. What kind of attitude is that? He could well be a strict principal of some school instead of this.

4. This is the most idiotic part of it. No positive results from the meet. But 41000 tonnes of polluting gases added to the atmosphere because of the cars, air conditioners, flights and lightings in big hotels arranged for this meet. This is completely ridiculous.

All the above 4 points show how incapable we are in taking care of the nature. The damage at this stage is irreversible . But still its never too late. The damage could me minimized.

"Earth has enough to satisfy every man's need but not every man's greed"----Mahatma Gandhi

SEHWAG'S BIG BANG THEORY

The theory talks about the initial conditions and subsequent development of the Universe that is supported by the most comprehensive and accurate explanations from current scientific observations. I have the inside information about Sehwag's BBT.

1) The better the bowler, the more I attack.
2) No matter how many runs the opposition has on the scoreboard, if I keep attacking they will weaken.
3) I will reach all major landmarks with a SIX.
4) No innings of mine can be complete without the umpires having to change the ball at least once.
5) If the ball is there to hit, I will not think twice.
6) Inner peace can only be achieved by sending the ball beyond the boundary line as often as possible.

If it's ONCE it's COINCIDENCE..what if its THRICE??

You may have encountered many coincidences in your life. Once if something happens we say its a coincidence. What if it happens twice...you feel its awkardly coincident. What if it happens third time?? You feel SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG!!!!!!

This eery incident happened few days ago when me and my friend(animesh) were coming back to hostel from the college gate.When we reached VDV building, just to scare my friend i told him there is a ghost in the building. We could see an empty room through glass window. Just to scare him a bit more i said " what if the light goes off and you see face of a ghost in that window ?" We were staring at the window and within a second; the POWER was gone. That surely scared both of us. Luckily we did not see any ghost's face.

I tried not to show my emotions and assured him that it was just a coincidence. We laughed at it and we moved further.

When we reached the CHIT Vihar, I asked him " what if the power of this building goes too?". He said " then it not a coincidence but something ghostly or psychic is going around us". And to our SCARY SURPRISE the power in this building goes off.

Now we were not laughing. Scared we were walking briskly. When we reached the next building (TIFAC) we saw 2 watchmen at night duty. We thought what could possibly go wrong now. But we were wrong. There was more to come.

We moved a step further and the power of the whole college goes off( Including the street lights). It was PITCH DARK. My heart sank(rather stopped) for a second. I couldn't feel my pulse. We stood there and held each others hand waiting for the power to return.

When the power was back, we ran to the entrance of the hostel and were wondering what just happened to us in past 5 minutes.Then we saw the time. It was 10:05 p.m. It was regular power cut from 10 to 10:05 p.m everyday.
We laughed at each other and went to our rooms.

Well....regarding ghosts...who's scared of them....yeah they scared me for 5 min, but still....BRING IT ON!!!