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Discussion » Questions » Science and Technology » Can you think of a practical application for quantum physics?

Can you think of a practical application for quantum physics?

Australian of the Year awards: Quantum physicist Michelle Yvonne Simmons receives 2018 honour

 

Last year, Michelle Yvonne Simons received the award of Australian of the Year for her contributions to quantum physics and its practical applications.

She has launched Australia into "the space race of the computing era".

Simons, a Brit, formerly professor physics at Cambridge in England, said she emigrated to Australia and became a citizen because the country accepts young leaders in science, has public funds available to fund research, and its scientists have a culture of cooperative team spirit.

Since arriving in Australia from Britain in 1999, Professor Simmons' work at the University of NSW quantum physics department has helped develop leading technology on a global scale.

Five years ago, Professor Simmons and her team developed the world's first transistor made from a single atom, as well as the world's thinnest wire.

Now she is looking to build a quantum computer capable of solving problems in minutes, which would otherwise take thousands of years.

Conventional computers can only compute one algorithm at a time because they are limited to a binary coding of either zero or one

At the level of quantum physics, it's possible to have numbers between 0 & 1. This makes it possible for atomic computers to achieve parallel processing, hence solving several problems simultaneously.

Think back to how computers made it possible to calculate millions of iterations. Leibnitz's C17th equation had to remain undeveloped for two centuries until computers were invented. In a variation, Mandelbrot came up with zn+1 = zn2 + c. This created fractal mathematics and geometry, an explosion in the capacity to accurately estimate probabilities. It has revolutionised actuarial calculation of insurance liabilities, stock exchange movements, and weather systems.

Just imagine the order of magnitude! - the difference this makes to computing with large amounts of information and multiple variables.

Posted - June 20, 2019

Responses


  • 46117
    I think of quantum as a repeating of something almost identical.  The "almosts" are what the stable geniuses who are NOT Trump seek to unravel.

    They may, in fact, be identical. Maybe that is what constitutes part of the definition.  Why am I chiming in?  To show what the average mind knows about this topic. NOTHING.

    But this is a stab at something at least.

    As far as answering your question, I think I need to understand what it is before I can think of any applications besides just theoretical.

    quan·tum phys·ics
    [quantum physics]
     
    NOUN
    1. the branch of physics concerned with quantum theory.
      "quantum physics allows for particles to be in two states at the same time"
    This post was edited by WM BARR . =ABSOLUTE TRASH at June 20, 2019 2:22 PM MDT
      June 20, 2019 2:18 PM MDT
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  • 6023
    I imagine we can use quantum linking to search for extraterrestrials, who are advanced as we are in quantum computing.
    By using a computer to "scan" all the quantum "frequencies", we would eventually link with an alien computer ... because distances don't matter for quantum linking.
    It would be like "pinging" unknown IP addresses until you get a response.
      June 20, 2019 2:24 PM MDT
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  • 4631
    I'm sure you're right that this method could be used like a bat's echo, like radio telescopes to scan and measure space and estimate the varying density of particles in space.
    Your idea sounds close to Orson Scott Card's "ansible."
      June 20, 2019 6:54 PM MDT
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  • 7280
      June 20, 2019 3:41 PM MDT
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  • 44173
    Dang. And I thought that cesium clock I maintained on the ship was the best. I used to keep it at a billionth of a second accuracy.
      June 20, 2019 6:14 PM MDT
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  • 4631
    A cesium clock would be great for accuracy- and I imagine it would have many uses.
      June 20, 2019 9:59 PM MDT
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  • It could finally prove that my check is in the mail, but also not in the mail.
      June 20, 2019 4:11 PM MDT
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  • Schrodinger's check. 
      June 20, 2019 4:24 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    I can honestly say that in my 55 year career as a legal secretary, I have never once found the need to use quantum physics.  I have also not had to use algebra, geometry, calculus or trigonometry.  
      June 20, 2019 7:12 PM MDT
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  • 5391
    Appears you answered your question rather effectively. I second that answer. 
      June 20, 2019 8:35 PM MDT
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  • 13395
    I read somewhere that if the location and activity of every particle in the universe was known then we could predict the future. But narrow the focus down to the events of our own planet.
    Or our solar system to see when the next major meteor will strike Earth

    And 'course how could you gather all that information and feed it into your quantum computer?  This post was edited by Kittigate at June 20, 2019 11:17 PM MDT
      June 20, 2019 10:35 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Logic is a wonderful tool when we reason from accurate principles---being aware of the conclusions of quantum mechanics might be useful to temper our extrapolation of our human concepts in other areas that apply to other systems that not be adequately explained by the rules we are currently aware of---for example, why do we think that a powerful, all-knowing god would not allow suffering if he did in fact exist?

    Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics relating to the very small.

    At the scale of atoms and electrons, many of the equations of classical mechanics, which describe how things move at everyday sizes and speeds, cease to be useful.

    In classical mechanics, objects exist in a specific place at a specific time.

    However, in quantum mechanics, objects instead exist in a haze of probability; they have a certain chance of being at point A, another chance of being at point B and so on.


    https://www.livescience.com/33816-quantum-mechanics-explanation.html
      June 21, 2019 3:01 PM MDT
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