An accessible introduction to an exciting new area in computation,
explaining such topics as qubits, entanglement, and quantum
teleportation for the general reader.
Quantum computing is a beautiful fusion of quantum physics and computer
science, incorporating some of the most stunning ideas from
twentieth-century physics into an entirely new way of thinking about
computation. In this book, Chris Bernhardt offers an introduction to
quantum computing that is accessible to anyone who is comfortable with
high school mathematics. He explains qubits, entanglement, quantum
teleportation, quantum algorithms, and other quantum-related topics as
clearly as possible for the general reader. Bernhardt, a mathematician
himself, simplifies the mathematics as much as he can and provides
elementary examples that illustrate both how the math works and what it
means.
Bernhardt introduces the basic unit of quantum computing, the qubit, and
explains how the qubit can be measured; discusses entanglement--which,
he says, is easier to describe mathematically than verbally--and what it
means when two qubits are entangled (citing Einstein's characterization
of what happens when the measurement of one entangled qubit affects the
second as "spooky action at a distance"); and introduces quantum
cryptography. He recaps standard topics in classical computing--bits,
gates, and logic--and describes Edward Fredkin's ingenious billiard ball
computer. He defines quantum gates, considers the speed of quantum
algorithms, and describes the building of quantum computers. By the end
of the book, readers understand that quantum computing and classical
computing are not two distinct disciplines, and that quantum computing
is the fundamental form of computing. The basic unit of computation is
the qubit, not the bit.
