If someone asked you to picture a quantum computer, what would you see in your mind? Maybe you see a normal computer– just bigger, with some mysterious physics magic going on inside? Forget laptops or desktops. Forget computer server farms. A quantum computer is fundamentally different in both the way it looks, and more importantly, in the way it processes information.

There are currently several ways to build a quantum computer. But let’s start by describing one of the leading designs to help explain how it works. Imagine a lightbulb filament, hanging upside down, but it’s the most complicated light you’ve ever seen. Instead of one slender twist of wire, it has organized silvery swarms of them, neatly braided around a core. They are arranged in layers that narrow as you move down. Golden plates separate the structure into sections.

Article Link – How Does Quantum Computing Work?

Discussion Questions:

1. Identify three key takeaways from the article. What did you find most interesting?
2. How would you explain quantum computers to a friend? In your own words, develop a definition of quantum computers.
3. What are some ways quantum computers might be used in the future? Discuss three different applications of quantum computers.

Source: Michael Tabb, Andrea Gawrylewsk, and Jeffrey DelViscio, “www.scientificamerican.com.”, July 7, 2021.