Quantum in Pictures: A New Way to Understand the Quantum World

by Bob Coecke, Stefano Gogioso

“Quantum in Pictures” makes it possible to learn about quantum mechanics and quantum computing in a new, fun way.



Written by world-leading experts, Quantum in Pictures is a simple, friendly, and novel way to explain the magical world of quantum theory. This book will be of interest to both the young (and not-so-young) amateur and the quantum specialists.



Using pictures alone, this book will equip you with the tools you need to understand the quantum world including recent developments in quantum computing and prove things about it, both known and new. Topics that are covered



• Quantum Entanglement

• Quantum Teleportation

• Computing with Quantum Circuits

• Quantum Measurement

• Quantum Uncertainty

• ZX Calculus

• Measurement-based quantum computing

• Quantum Key Distribution

• Relativity Theory In Pictures

• Quantum Nonlocality (2022 Nobel Prize)





You’ll learn that the pictures aren’t mere illustrations, but rather a new kind of rigorous mathematics, tailor-made to talk about quantum things. This new maths was developed and refined over several years by many researchers, including the authors, and it is now being adopted by the quantum computing industry.



“Quantum in Pictures” is a book that takes us beyond the “why” questions that mesmerised the giants of quantum physics a century ago, to the “what” questions being tackled by today’s pioneers of quantum information technology. It's the perfect jumping-off point for every reader who feels ready to make the leap many have already from the “why” of what quantum tells us about the universe to the “what”.

Genres: Science, Physics, Nonfiction

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2023

Reviews

[Peter Faul]

A nice enough introduction to the ZX calculus. I really like the approach of teaching quantum mechanics entirely through string diagrams, however I can't help but feel that someone who doesn't already understand at least the basics of quantum mechanics won't get much out of this. I think this would be seriously improved with a historical introduction to the discovery of quantum mechanics and all of the counter intuitive results that we now know are true. This will make the all the rules feel less arbitrary.

[Chris B.]

Perhaps the best book on quantum in the last few years. Imho, you still need a solid grasp of linear algebra and complex analysis to understand the diagrams (which, amazingly, all directly correspond to items of tensor calculus in Hilbert space).

If I could choose a handful of books to learn quantum information from scratch it would be:

1. Mike and Ike (“Quantum Computation and Quantum Information”) … of course.

2. This book

3. The dodo book (“Picturing Quantum Processes”)

4. Q is for Quantum by Rudolph

[Tasos Michelis]

Ένα περίπλοκο θέμα το έκανε να μοιαζει ακόμα πιο περίπλοκο αντί να το απλοποιήσει. Πρέπει όταν γράφεις αυτο το βιβλίο να θεωρείς ότι ο άλλος προσπαθεί να καταλάβει κβαντικά και όχι απλώς να διαβάσει εικόνες.

[Kalle Karhapää]

Nice beginner friendly way to learn about quantum

[Rama Rao]

Quantum in confusing pictures

This is an ambitious attempt to introduce quantum mechanics through pictorial explanations without mathematical formalism. The author uses the ZX-calculus, a diagrammatic language for quantum processes. I did not find this book motivating or enriching. It's introductory in spirit but aims high to comprehend the basics of quantum realities. The quantum phenomena like superposition, entanglement, teleportation, measurement, and quantum computing are described in numerous popular books without math. There are numerous videos on YouTube that explain the math in a stress-free manner that most readers would appreciate. The diagrams in this nook are abstract, confusing and do not add much to learning.

[Damian]

I love the idea, but the execution is terrible. Explanations are very incomplete, unclear, or ambiguous. The book would also benefit from having self-test sections (like a text book) with answers in the back to check your knowledge.

The author has another book, Picturing Quantum Processes, which is similar content but much more thorough. Reading that now, and hoping it does a better job.

[Zachary Crockett]

This was fun, and it’s great that there’s an intro to quantum for a very wide audience. The level of detail was so low though that I didn’t feel like I had actually learned hardly anything. I’ve started reading Picturing Quantum Processes, the longer book on the same topic by the same authors, and am finding it more satisfying.

[Giacomo Gnecchi Ruscone]

misleading experience for a non tech person just curious about the topic. tries to simplify but eventually fails, an editor would have been able to spot the narrative fallacies if the book was meant for a broader audience.

[Mitch Mithunpaul]

Brilliant introduction to quantum physics. With zero math- uses just red and green balls.

[Elena Morante]

Too abstract if you are not in the field

[Lindsey Binford]

This book was excellent. My 5th grader is very passionate about quantum physics and this was the best way for me to understand what he’s talking about and be a part of the conversation.