How Quantum Mechanics Works

Current computers and electronics are smaller and exponentially faster
than previous data storage and calculation devices. An average cell
phone today contains more computing power than was sent to the moon in
1969. This is due to advancements in microprocessor design that allow
for smaller chips to complete more calculations per second, and for
those chips to be built at lower prices.

Electronics developed before the 1970's were made using vacuum tubes
or transistors. Whatever the hardware used to develop computing
platforms, the goal is still the same; to store and manipulate data.
Vacuum tubes, transistors as well as microprocessors are specifically
made to store and manipulate digital input—that is, input that comes
in the form of 0's and 1's (or on and off).
All numbers and letters can be broken down into a digital signal by
converting them to binary ('bi', meaning two, and 'nary' meaning
number). Manipulation of the binary data is a relatively easy process
to learn. Counting in binary shows how easy it can be. Since there are
only two numbers, counting to 1 is an easy task, it's simply 0, then
1. The number two is represented by 10,  three by 11, four by 100,
five by 101, and six by 111.

When a modern computer reads from a magnetic hard disk, the data
coming in to the computer is read as a series of 0's and 1's. All of
the functions that computers perform—from browsing the internet to
listening to music—can be broken down into addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division of these binary numbers.

Quantum computing is near the top of a very long list of emerging
technologies that have the possibility to change the world. The
promise of this new type of computing is enough to lure the interests
of several businesses, despite the high cost of entry into the coming
quantum computing industry. Even a moderately powered quantum computer
would be roughly 10,000 times faster than the fastest desktop computer
system.

Instead of the familiar "bit" that computers today use, quantum
computers rely on a "qubit". Whereas a regular bit can be a 1 or a 0,
a qubit can have a state that is a 1, a 0, or both at the same moment.
Think of it as 0, 1, or 2 instead of only a 0 and 1. This strange
phenomenon is possible due to the strange properties of the quantum
world—properties that physicists are only now able to put into use.