‘Quantum computing is a revolutionary concept in digital data processing based on the fundamental principles by which nature operates, i.e. quantum mechanics’ (Solenov 2018, para. 1)
A quantum computer is a large refrigerator and a small computer chip working together. To work correctly, it needs to remain extremely cold, ‘colder than outer space’ (IBM 2020) and work within a space vacuum type environment.
Quantum Computing is different from traditional computing in that it uses a process involving information bits, zeros and ones, i.e. binary code. A quantum computer does not need to use binary code, it uses a quantum bit, or qubit, which represents multiple states outside of ones and zeros at the same time (Njorbuenwu, 2019).
For example, think about flipping a coin. Using a classical computer, it would flip the coin to show a result of head or tales. When using a quantum computer, it spins the coin causing multiple states to occur. While the coin is spinning, it exists as both heads and tales, or in both ones and zeros (IBM 2020).
A primary purpose of the quantum computer is to calculate equations that are too complex for today’s most powerful supercomputers such as the simulation of the environment or molecules. A quantum computer used by both Google and NASA ‘solved a problem in 200 seconds that would take the world’s fastest supercomputer 10,000 years’ (Baumhof 2019, para. 20).