Quantum Tic-Tac-Toe adds a single rule to classical tic-tac-toe - a rule of superposition.
In classical tic-tac-toe a move is indicated by marking just one square.
In quantum tic-tac-toe a move is indicated by marking two squares.
Each
quantum move is half in one square and half in another - a 'super'position.
It sounds simple, but the difference this makes is astonishing.
Imagine what it would be like for you to be in two places at once;
not two copies, but to exist in multiple locations simultaneously.
If you find this perplexing, take consolation in the fact
that professional physicists find it perplexing also.
Hello, I'm Allan Goff, the author of Quantum Tic-Tac-Toe.
As a student, classical physics was easy; a little common sense, some imagination,
and yes, calculus, and reality made perfect sense.
Then came the first course on quantum mechanics.
Not only did I not get it, I couldn't find anyone who did.
Worse, the calculations were incredibly accurate;
clearly, we understood something about quantum reality, why were we then still perplexed?
The more that is learned about quantum physics the less reality makes sense.
This has happend before in science; it always heralds a paradigm shift.
That's when my career shifted directions - I want to
understand reality,
not just compute the outcome of experiments.
Quantum tic-tac-toe was developed as a metaphor to explore the foundations of quantum physics.
Allow me to take you on a tour of the weirdness of the quantum world.
Quantum tic-tac-toe will be our road map.
A rule which allows moves to cover multiple squares leads to 5 concepts...
- superposition
- many-worlds
- entanglement
- collapse
- histories
... more to come ...