Understanding the Quantum Information (Week 5)


Core 2 - Introduction to Quantum Computing


  Rúben André Barreiro


What is the Concept of Information?


  • The Information can be thought of as the resolution of uncertainty.


Concept of Information #1

  • The Information it's always associated with data.


Concept of Information #2

  • The Information is data, in some given context and meaning attached.

  • The Information relates also to knowledge.

  • In terms of Communication, Information is expressed either as the content of a message, or even, through direct or indirect observation.

  • The Information can be encoded into several forms for interpretation and transmission (for example, interpreted by a sequence of signs, or transmitted via a signal).

  • The concept of Information has different meanings in different contexts.

  • Thus, the concept of Information becomes related to notions of constraint, communication, control, data, form, education, knowledge, meaning, understanding, mental stimulation, pattern, perception, representation and entropy.



*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


What is an Unit of Information?


  • An Unit of Information is the capacity of some standard data storage system or communication channel, used to measure the capacities of other systems and channels.

  • The Units of Information can be also used to measure the entropy of random variables and information contained in messages.



*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


What is an Unit of Measurement?


  • An Unit of Measurement is a magnitude of a quantity, defined and adopted by convention or by law, that's used as a standard for measurement of the same kind of quantity.

  • Any other quantity of that kind can be expressed as a multiple of the unit of measurement. Per example:

    • 1 Byte = 8 Bits;
    • 1 Gigabyte = 1,073,741,824 Bytes;
    • 40 Gigabytes = 40 × 1,024 Megabytes = 40,960 Megabytes;
    • 10 Kilometers = 10.0 × 103 Meters = 10,000 Meters;
    • 1 Nanometer = 1.0 × 10-9 Meters = 0.000,000,001 Meters;
    • 1 Decileter = 1.0 × 10 -1 = 0.1 Liters;
    • 1 Watt = 1 Joule/Second;
    • 1 Kilowatt = 1.0 × 103 Watts = 1,000 Watts;
    • 1 Minute = 60 Seconds;
    • 2 Hours = 2.0 × 60 × 60 Seconds = 2.0 × 602 Seconds = 7,200 Seconds;


*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


What is Data?


  • The Data (or singular datum) are individual units of information.

  • The Data describes a single quality or quantity of some object or phenomenon.

  • The Data represents values attributed to parameters (i.e., parametervalue).

  • In analytical processes, data are represented by variables.

  • Although, the terms "data", "information" and "knowledge" are often used interchangeably, each of these terms has a distinct meaning.

  • In popular publications, data is sometimes said to be transformed into information when it's viewed in context or in post-analysis.

  • The Data is measured, collected and reported, and analyzed, whereupon it can be visualized using graphs, images or other analysis tools.

  • The Data, as a general concept, refers to the fact that some existing information or knowledge is represented or coded in some form suitable for better usage or processing.

  • The Data can also be Raw Data ("unprocessed data"), which is a collection of numbers or characters before it has been "cleaned" and corrected by researchers.

  • The Data processing commonly occurs by stages, and the "processed data" from one stage maymay be considered the "Raw Data" of the next stage.

  • The Data can, even, be of Experimental type, which is the data that is generated within the context of a scientific investigation by observation and recording.



*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


What is Knowledge?


  • The knowledge signifies understanding of an abstract or concrete concept.



*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Classical Information




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Classical Units of Information




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


What is a Bit?




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Classical Data Storage




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Practical Examples of Used Sizes of Units of Classical Information




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Classical Information Theory




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Quantum Information




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Quantum Units of Information




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


What is a Qubit?




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Quantum Data Storage




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Bit vs. Pbit vs. Qubit - Comparison Between Some Basic Units of Information


  • Bit (Classical Bit) [bit]:


    Bit representation

    • Basic Unit of Classical Information

    • Capable of existing in just one state only, 0 or 1, at a different time;

    • 1D Point in only one of the two states/points (0 and 1);

    • Determistic state;

    • n bits = n states;


    • Formula:
      Bit={ 0  1 }


    • Other Properties:
      Configurations=01,Description=[10],Observation=0OR1(Certainty),Evolution=[0110](Deterministic).



  • Pbit (Probabilistic Bit) [p'bit]:


    Pbit representation

    • Uses the Bit (Basic Unit of Classical Information), as his basis, in a random fashion;

    • Capable of existing in just one state only, 0 or 1, at a different time;

    • 2D Line between only one of the two states/points (0 and 1);

    • Non-Determistic/Probabilistic state;

    • n pbits = n states;


    • Formula:
      Pbit={ 0 : p , 1 : ( 1  p ) }


    • Other Properties:
      Configurations=01,Description=[p1p]( pR ),Observation=0(p %)OR1( [ 1  p ] % ),Evolution=[1qrq1r]( q, rR )(Stochastic).



  • Qubit (Quantum Bit) ['kju.bit] or [k'bit]:


    Qubit represent in Bloch Sphere #1 Qubit represent in Bloch Sphere #2

    • Basic Unit of Quantum Information;

    • Capable of existing in infinite states, before the Quantum Measurement be performed:

      • |0 (Classical Basis/State 0);
      • |1 (Classical Basis/State 1);
      • α|0+β|1 (Any combination (or, infinite combinations) of |0 and |1 occurring simultaneously, in a Quantum Superposition of States);

    • Capable of existing in only two states, after the Quantum Measurement be performed:

      • 0 (Classical State 0);
      • 1 (Classical State 1);

    • 3D Sphere (usually represented by a Bloch Sphere) with |0 and |1 at the poles and an infinite number of superpositions as states points on the Bloch Sphere;

    • Non-Determistic/Probabilistic states;

    • Before the Quantum Measurement of States be performed:

      • n qubits = 2n processed states;

    • After the Quantum Measurement of States be performed:

      • n qubits = n measured/collapsed states;

    • Formula:
      Qubit=α|0+β|1


    • Other Properties:
      Configurations=01,Description=[αβ]( α, βC ),Observation=0( |α|2 % )AND1( |β|2 % ),Evolution=[uvwx]( u, v, w, xR )(Unitary).



  • Bit vs. Pbit vs. Qubit #1 Bit vs. Pbit vs. Qubit #2


*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Bloch Sphere


  • The Bloch Sphere is a geometrical representation of the pure state space of a two-level Quantum Physical/Mechanical System (Qubit).

  • This geometrical representation was named after the physicist Felix Bloch (23 October 1905 - 10 September 1983).

  • The Bloch Sphere is a unit 2-sphere, with antipodal points corresponding to a pair of mutually orthogonal state vectors.

  • The north and south poles of the Bloch Sphere are typically chosen to correspond to the standard basis vectors |0 and |1, respectively,
    which in turn might correspond, per example, to the spin-up and spin-down states of an Electron, but this choice can be arbitrary.

  • The points on the surface of the Bloch Sphere correspond to the pure states of the Quantum Physics/Mechanics System,
    whereas the interior points correspond to the mixed states.

  • The Quantum Physics/Mechanics is mathematically formulated in Hilbert space or projective Hilbert space.



  • You can see the behaviour of the Bloch Sphere (Qubit) and Single Quantum Logic Gates/Operators, in the following Live Code Preview,
    provided by Code SandBox:




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***


Quantum Information Theory




*** © Rúben André Barreiro - Learning Quantum Computing (Online Web Course) - All rights reserved ***